


Swan Princess

by JET_MacLeod



Series: Swan Princess [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-05-22 19:09:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 64
Words: 397,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6091135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JET_MacLeod/pseuds/JET_MacLeod
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens to our favorite fairy tale characters when someone from the future comes back to save them all? Can they handle the truths of their future or will they try to destroy the White Knight? AU past season 3, should be considered season 7 or 8, & no idea how much of season 4 will impact what's going on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Enchanted Forest, 5 years from now

She watched as Charming came into the castle. He was covered in blood, his cloak torn and barely hanging on to him, and his face was pure agony. Henry wasn’t far behind him. He was also covered in blood and mud, muck and gore. She just looked onward towards them as she clung to her mother’s leg. She knew these men were family. She knew they were fighting for her. But, she was still too young to understand the gravity of the situation.

“Where is Emma?” Regina asked them.

“Gone,” Charming replied.

“Gone?”

“There was nothing left, Mom,” Henry told her, tears burning his eyes.

Regina looked on in horror as Charming gave her Emma’s sword. She held it and noted the smears of blood and gore on the blade. She didn’t say anything. There was nothing to say. She just looked at Henry and Charming as they were both crying. She fought the urge to give into her grief and cry with them. Instead she held the sword tighter, willing more magic into the blade.

Belle came in from a back room and saw the shocked crowd. She looked at Charming and saw the devastation on his face. She went to Regina’s side. Regina didn’t say anything when she took her hand as soon as Belle realized that Emma wasn’t there.

“Emma?” she questioned, still holding Regina’s hand.

“She’s not coming back,” Regina said at almost a whisper.

Regina put the sword back into the scabbard and handed it to Belle, who took it begrudgingly. She tried to push the small child at Belle as she felt her magic starting to surge forward demanding retribution for Emma’s demise. She felt Belle put her hand on the girl’s shoulder and pull her back into her grasp, away from Regina. Belle could see the rigidity in Regina’s form. She saw the flash of purple in her eyes. She knew what was coming. They all did. They had seen it once before…a long time ago, in the same castle. The Evil Queen had found new life.

“Where are they?” Regina asked.

“We don’t know,” Charming replied.

“We will find them. I will destroy them all. Charming lead the –“ Regina started to say.

“WE NEED TO GO!” Red came in screaming, running as fast as her human legs could carry her. 

She was still trying to fasten her red cloak around her neck as she stopped in front of Regina. They both could see the sadness in each other’s eyes. They knew what was being  
lost on the field. They had all been fighting the Blackness.

“Red?!?” Regina asked.

“They are at the gates. The army is trying to hold them. Snow is sending more reinforcements but they won’t make it until morning. I was lucky to get through,” Red told them panting.

Red looked up at Belle, then. She could see the sadness in her eyes. She straightened up, looked at the young girl, then Henry, then Regina and finally landed on Charming.

“She didn’t make it back?” she asked confirming her worst fear about her God-daughter.

“No, she didn’t,” Henry answered at whisper.

“Red, you and Belle, take Remy and get out the back through my old tunnels into the forest. Head back to Rumple’s castle. If we survive this, we will be there as soon as we can. 

If we don’t, take care of my girl. I am putting her in your hands, Wolf-pup and Bookworm. Don’t let me down,” Regina told them, not even bothering to look them in the eye as she headed out the door and into the fray, fireballs blazing in both hands.

Henry looked down at his younger sister. He knelt down in front of her and took off a leather corded necklace with a silver ring on it. He placed it around Remy’s neck and patted her chest with the ring under his hand. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, knowing in the back of his mind that it would be the last time that he would see his baby sister.

“Take care of this for me, little Sis. I’ll want it back soon. And, never forget that you are the Swan Princess,” Henry told her.

He stood, drew his sword, and headed for the door. He paused right before it and waited for Charming to follow him. He looked back and watched his grandfather kiss Remy on the head. She looked up at him with her dark brown eyes as he patted her blond locks. They could all see the tears in Charming’s blue eyes.

“Take care of her for us, Red. She is the last of our line, Belle. I fear that we won’t make it this time. Take her in as your own, please. Protect her, Red, and keep her safe. And, never let her forget how much we love her. Someday she will be the Swan Queen, and she will return our kingdom to glory,” Charming told them. He turned to Remy and told her, 

“I love you, my little Swan. Take care. And, never forget that you are a princess.”

“I will, David, with my life,” Red told him as she took Remy from Belle.

He reached out for her hand and shook it. Her hazel eyes locked with his blue in silent confirmation of his pending death and that of his entire family. She held onto Remy and took Belle’s hand. They all knew what they were in trusted with. She was the last of the White line.

They watched Henry and Charming leave. Red looked at Belle, who was holding Emma’s sword in her hands. She gave a lopsided smile, handed Remy to Belle, and dropped her red cloak, changing into her werewolf form. She knelt down in wolf form before Belle. She put Remy on her back and told the girl to hold on tight. She took the child’s weight gracefully. Once Remy was settled, Belle draped the baldric that held Emma’s sword over her shoulder.

She led them out the room and to the back tunnels that Regina had been talking about. Being one of Remy’s tutors and Regina’s friend, Belle knew the castle as well as Regina did. On the way, Belle stopped into Regina’s library. She grabbed a satchel bearing the White-Swan-Mills crest, stuffed some clothes, money, some bread and other random laying about food items, and one of Regina’s spell book journals into it. Red followed along behind her, continually sniffing the air. Trying to sniff out the Blackness before it could overtake them.

Right before they made it to the secret entrance, Red nosed Belle and then reared back. Belle drew Emma’s sword and Remy watched in horror as a black mass came at them. She couldn’t tell if it was man or beast, but they were surrounded by the tell-tell black misty fog. 

Red was at the ready, her hackles up and ready to kill. She had never seen Belle fight. She heard stories but now, she was about to see it first…well, wolf’s side. Remy stood between them, because she’d slidden off Red’s back. Red watched as she took a few steps forward and cocked her head in a manner just like Regina. She tried to push the small blonde back behind them with a paw, as she felt magic building nearby and then smelt the scent of apples and cinnamon swirling around the girl.

Belle looked on in horror as the mass got closer but Remy wouldn’t move. Suddenly, they were all blinded by a bright blue-white and black-purple light. When the light passed, Belle and Red gasped. The mass was gone and Remy had collapsed onto the stone floor. The girl was out cold. 

“I’ll get her, Red,” Belle told her as she gathered the girl and put her back on Red’s back. “And, now we need to go. I don’t want to wait around to see what else they have planned for us.”

Belle picked her up and put her back on Red’s back. The girl opened her eyes just long enough for Belle to see the green hazel fading back to a deep, dark, rich brown. And just as quickly as she opened her eyes, she passed back out on Red’s back, clinging to her fur, holding herself on.  
They fled the castle just as Regina has asked. As they entered the woods, they saw the darkness swarming over the brick, stone and mortar of the castle. Red whimpered just loud enough for Belle to hear her.

“I know, Red. I know. Everyone knows to regroup at Rumple’s. We’ll wait there.”

Red nosed her hand and Belle scratched her between the ears. She knew that Red liked the affection but was distracted when Red nosed her hand again. Belle gave her a questioning look. She turned her head back towards her back and where Remy was attached.

“You want me to ride?” Belle asked.

Red nosed her again. Belle sighed. She knew that it would be faster, but she also knew that Red carrying both of their weights would tire a lot out quicker. She knew that Red would need her strength if they came up on any of the Blackness, but she was right. Now was the time to get to Rumple’s castle fast and lick their wounds later. They would regroup and figure out what to do. Right now, they needed to protect the princess.

 

Storybrooke, Present Day

Regina sat at the counter at Granny’s nursing her early morning coffee. She was dreading going into the Mayor’s office today. She didn’t know why, but she was. She was happy to be mayor, again, and actually elected, but it didn’t hold the same…feeling for her anymore. The appeal wasn’t there. She knew that she was good at leading and ruling, but now it was… different.

“More coffee, Mayor?” Red asked as she was checking on the customers at the counter.

“No, thanks, Ruby. I’m good for now,” Regina replied and then said, “Actually; can you get me a cup to go?”

“Sure thing, Regina,” Ruby told her as she turned around to make the to-go cup.

Emma had just come in the diner and was heading to the counter to order her customary bear claw and hot cocoa with cinnamon. She smiled at Regina as she took a seat at the other end of the counter. As soon as she sat down, Ruby handed her a cup of cocoa. 

“Bear claw will be up in a minute, though. How are things at the station? Good?”

“Slow as usual, Rubes. I came in early because you said there was something that you had to tell me. So, what gives?”

“Give me a minute, will ya?” Ruby asked as she headed away from the counter.

“Sure,” Emma stated as she fingered some of the whipped cream on her cocoa.

Ruby poured some coffee in a to-go cup and put a lid on it. She walked it down to Regina and set it on the counter before her. She then reached around, grabbed the coffee carafe and poured some more into Regina’s cup. Regina looked up at her and cocked her eyebrow. Ruby made a slight gesture towards Emma and Regina picked up her cup and took a sip in a non-verbal understanding of what Ruby was trying to tell her.

“So, you want to tell me what has me out of bed before the sun this morning?”

“I don’t think that is…well…really anything, but I figured I’d tell you.”

“You want me to look into something?” Emma questioned.

Ruby shot a glance down at Regina, that only Regina caught. Emma was too busy tearing into her bear claw. Ruby handed her a napkin.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Well, what is it?”

“You know Belle’s little sister, right?”

“Yeah, Coraline? What about her? She make a pass at you or something?”

“No…NO…nothing like that.”

“Then what is it, Rubes?”

“She doesn’t smell right.”

“She doesn’t smell right?” Emma asked almost spitting bear claw at Ruby.

“She smells funny.”

“Don’t you think that you should be having this conversation with Belle?” Emma asked.

“I would, but it is the smell.”

“The smell?”

“She smells like…well, Henry.”

“She smells like Henry?” Emma deadpanned.

Regina perked up. She knew now why Ruby had refilled her coffee. She stared ahead and tried to listen harder to what Ruby and Emma were discussing. But, while she did, she  
wondered why Ruby just didn’t flat out tell her about it herself.

“Yeah, she smells like Henry.”

“How does Henry smell, Ruby? Bad? Good?”

“He smells like apples and cinnamon with a hint of vanilla. He is a perfect blend of you and Regina. He has his own scent, but he can’t escape his upbringing. He has always smelled like cinnamon and vanilla, but if he has been with Regina he picks up the apple smell.”

“I get the apples and even the cinnamon, I think, but where does the vanilla come from?”

“Have you never sniffed your mom?”

Regina giggled. She took another sip of coffee, when Ruby shot her a glance, to cover up her eavesdropping. Regina knew that Snow smelled like vanilla cookies. She had smelled it wafting off her before. She could guess that the cinnamon was from Charming though.

“Umm…no, because that would be weird. So, she smells like Henry does. Maybe it is her soap or perfume. There has to be a logical explanation for that. Come on, Ruby. You want me to go question Coraline on the simple fact that she smells weird,” Emma told her.

That was what Ruby was waiting for. She knew that Emma probably wouldn’t look into it. She didn’t understand what everyone else from the Enchanted Forest did. She knew that Regina would investigate if Emma wouldn’t, and if it did concern Henry they would both need to know.  
Regina nodded at Ruby, placed some money on the counter, grabbed her to-go cup and headed out the diner. Ruby told her to have a good day as she left. Regina only gave her a knowing smile as she exited the building.

“So you going to talk to her or what?”

“Who?”

“Coraline.”

“And say what? I’m sorry, but you smell like my son, care to tell me why? Come on, Ruby. I need more than that. It would embarrass us all if I did that.”

“Okay, then, how about this? I don’t remember her from the Enchanted Forest. I don’t remember Belle having any sisters. Which may mean nothing, but if it does….”

“Fine, I’ll go talk to her.”

“Good,” Ruby stated, very proud of herself, and walked away.

Meanwhile, at the Game of Thorns nursery, Belle and Coraline were talking about the day’s business. Neither of them looked up as they heard the front door open. They didn’t see Regina come in and start looking around, the entire time watching Coraline and her movements.

“Alright, Belle, I got it. Go on to the library. I got to take care of the mulch delivery. I’ll bring all the paperwork over to Rumple’s and we can work on it tonight, I promise.”

“Don’t work too late. Ruby wanted to go out tonight. I’ll have dinner ready by eight.”

“Sounds good,” Coraline answered, as she passed through some doors to the back.

Regina came around some shelves and almost bumped into Belle. They both stopped short. Regina tried to smile, but Belle cut her off.

“Sorry, Regina, I didn’t see you. Did you need something? I call Coraline over to help you.”

“No, I am just looking at the moment, but thank you,” Regina told her as genuinely as she could.

“Well, if you need anything, yell for Coraline. She’ll hear you, but she’s in the back. She’ll get it for you. I have to go.”

Regina watched her go. She knew that Coraline was alone in the back and she could talk to her without interruption. She knew that Emma wouldn’t ask her anything, but she trusted the wolf’s instincts. There was something amiss with Coraline and Regina would figure out what it is.  
Coraline came back in from the back. It was the first time that Regina noticed what she was wearing because she was hanging up an old black leather blazer on a coat rack behind the counter. She grabbed an apron and put it on, covering a crisp white shirt and black tank top. She turned around in time to see Regina.

“Madam Mayor, nice to see you,” she told her.

If there was something off in her greeting, Regina didn’t hear it. She figured that there would be something off about Coraline that she would be able to see. When she couldn’t find anything, she figured that she would have to make up some sort of story for being there.

“Hello, Miss French, how are you today?”

“I am good, Madam Mayor. Is there something that I can get for you? Or, if you were looking for Belle, you just missed her.”

“As matter of fact, I believe there is something that you can help me with,” Regina told her.

“Well, what is it?”

“It seems that my apple tree needs something. I am not sure that I took care of it properly a few years ago when Sheriff Swan attacked it. Do you have anything that could help?” Regina asked.

“I remember that. I don’t know if I can help much. I don’t know much about the problem except that she took a chainsaw to it. I would have to come look at the tree in person. I could come by later, if you’d like,” Coraline told her.

“No, not today, I am busy. Plus, I know that you have an evening planned out with the girls. I wouldn’t think of hindering your ability to unwind after a hard day’s work,” Regina told her, with a purely saccharine smile.

“Ruby’s talking about going to the Hole tonight again, huh?”

“Something like that.”

“Well, I am not much of drinker. I could come by in the morning before you had to go to work. I am sure that you would like to hear my diagnosis and plan as soon as possible. Would that be good for you?”

“That sounds like a good idea, dear. I’ll expect you no later than nine o’clock. I have a meeting with the planning committee at ten. Is that okay with you?”

“Sounds fine, Madam Mayor. I’ll see you then. If you need anything else, just let me know.”

“Take care of this and I’ll see what I can do about getting you a landscaping contract for the City. It seems that I might have neglected that aspect of our quaint hamlet during the curse. Would you be interested? In a landscaping contract?”

“It would get me out of the shop a few days a week and we could afford some more help. Yeah, I’m interested. I’ll talk to Belle. She owns the place since Dad and our brothers left. It would ultimately be up to her and all. I can’t just abandon the shop,” Coraline answered.

“Of course. I’ll see you in the morning. Have a good day,” Regina told as she left.

Coraline watched her go. She breathed a sigh of relief that she didn’t know she was holding. She raked a hand through her short, black, shoulder length hair. She wondered what Regina was up to because she knew that it had nothing to do with her apple tree. She could tell when people were lying but she didn’t know why Regina would lie to her about that. She would go look at the apple tree. She would treat it, but she wondered why Regina would wait so long to help her beloved tree. She didn’t have to wonder long because Emma came in the shop.

“Hey, Coraline.”

“Hey, Emma, what brings you by?”

“Nothing much, just checking up on everyone. We haven’t had any trouble lately and we are due. Haven’t noticed anything out of the ordinary have you?”

“This is Storybrooke, Sheriff. Everything here is out of the ordinary. Can you be more specific?” Coraline asked her.

“Noticed anyone acting strange?”

“Just the mayor, but then again, that is normal, too,” Coraline answered.

“Regina was here?” Emma questioned with a little more gusto than she wanted.

“Yeah, she just left. Had some questions about her beloved apple tree at the house. It seems that she might not have cared for it well enough after you got mad at it. Remind me again to not let you out back on tree trimming day. Anyway, I’m going to have a look at it in the morning. Do you have some landscaping issues, too? Or, is something else on your mind, Sheriff?”

“No, nothing like that, Coraline. Just trying to follow up on some stuff. How are you doing?”

“Emma, what’s bothering you?” Coraline asked her, cutting off the questioning.

“Alright, here it is. Ruby told me you smelled funny. I figure it is just from the shop, but I told her I’m come check it out. It’s stupid. Don’t worry about it.”

“She said I smelled funny?”

“Yeah, something about apples, cinnamon and vanilla. Look it was stupid. It’s near wolfs’ time and we know how she gets. You know all worked up and needing something to do. Don’t worry about it. I’ll just tell her it is from the shop and she’ll drop it. I think we are all looking for something to be wrong. We don’t know how to do peaceful and normal, here. Too much has happened over the last few years. I think everyone is just on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop, again,” Emma told her trying to gauge her response.

Emma watched her face, but Coraline didn’t betray the pain she was feeling. She realized that she was just making Coraline uncomfortable. She wasn’t going to get anywhere anyway. She was mentally yelling at Ruby for convincing her that something was wrong.

Finally, Emma smiled at her and left. She gave a sigh of relief and let go of the counter that she had been gripping with white knuckles. Coraline looked at her phone. It wasn’t even nine o’clock and already she knew that today wouldn’t be a good day for her.

She needed to go see Blue. She needed to talk to Blue. Blue would know what to do. Things were progressing too fast and she didn’t know how to slow them back down. She had forgotten about Ruby’s ability to smell anything in a four block radius. She should have taken better care of covering her scent. She took off the apron and hung it back up. She grabbed her leather jacket and went back into the front of the shop.

“Holly, I have to go see Mother Superior for a while. Can you handle the shop while I am gone? It should be too long,” Coraline stated to the girl coming in the store.

“No problem boss, we won’t be getting any trucks today, so I’ll be fine alone. I’ll start working on the flowers for Spring Fest. Anything else you need me to do?”

“Not at the moment, Holly. Thanks for coming in today. I’ll be back soon.”

“Go on, Boss. Blue can be impatient. I’ve got the shop.”

“I knew that it was a good thing I hired you,” Coraline said, laughing as she left the shop.

She got the convent in her Town Car quickly. Blue was outside with some of the other fairies working on nurturing nature spells. She shot Coraline a look as she came up to her quickly.

“We need to talk,” Coraline demanded ignoring the fact that Blue was busy with other fairies.

“Purple, you keep them working. I need to handle something,” Blue told another fairy, and then looked at Coraline, “Follow me inside. It will be more private.”

Once they were inside Blue’s office, Coraline finally started to feel herself relax. She sat down in a chair across from the desk that she bore name plaque “Mother Superior.” She looked up with blue eyes into confused dark eyes.

“What’s wrong, Coraline?” Blue asked her.

“Ruby can smell me.”

“Ruby smells everyone. It is part of her being a werewolf. She can’t help it. Now, what is it about her smelling you that is such a big deal?”

“I smell like Henry.”

“I know that, but your smell is different, softer, sweeter. To be honest, you smell like flowers and dirt. What does this have to do with anything? Has Ruby done something?”

“She evidently talked with Emma about it. Emma came and questioned me about it. I need to do something to mask the smell. I can’t have them finding out who I am. I haven’t figured out how to stop the Blackness yet. If they find out now, I could be changing everything.”

“I know that this is hard for you.”

“Do you? Do you have any idea? I doubt that,” Coraline stated, staring her down.

“Listen. I found you and healed your wounds, Coraline. I helped you plant the false memories of being Belle’s sister. I understand why you are here and I am trying to help.”

“I’m sorry. I know,” she replied, raking her hand through her short wavy hair. “It is just that it is hard enough being here and not telling everyone who I am. You are the only one who knows and I don’t even know if you believe me.”

“I do believe you, Coraline. I’ve read your body. The incantations and markings that Belle had inscribed and tattooed are ancient and not known to many here. That knowledge would only come from the Enchanted Forest and more than likely only from Rumple’s castle. I know what tales your skin tells, and that is enough for me.”

“What about Regina? Could she read them? Would she understand them? If she saw them?”

“If she saw them, yes, she might. She would be one of the few, besides myself, that would be able to read the extent of what was inked on you. I know that they are protection spells and a partial history, but Coraline, you will eventually have to tell them who you are. You cannot not tell them. While, I may not agree with situation that you are in or found yourself in, I do agree that it was necessary in order to protect the realm. I am sorry that I can’t help you more.”

“Can’t you cast something?”

“Cast something?” Blue questioned, unsure of what she meant.

“Yeah, to cover my smell,” Coraline stated.

“I’ll make a potion for you. You’ll have to take it daily until we know that Ruby can’t smell you, but Coraline, this is a dangerous undertaking. If anyone were to see you take the potion, they would know that you are hiding something from them.”

“I understand that, Blue. Do you think that I like lying to them? Do you think that I like looking at them when I know what is to come? I have to stop the Blackness.”

“I still don’t understand why you took the Queen’s Elite Guard Arms as your own.”

“Because they are my arms as well.”

“You still haven’t told me what that means, exactly,” Blue pushed.

“Look, I can’t. If I do, it could change the outcome of my birth. I will tell you this much.”

“Yes, and that is?”

“Regina is my mother and I am a warrior princess.”

“If Regina is your mother, why are you so afraid of her?”

“Because…the Blackness took her.”

Blue just nodded. She didn’t need to hear more. She knew that Regina had a black heart.

“The Regina that you knew is not the Regina that I knew,” Coraline added.

“What do you mean?” Blue asked, now more intrigued.

“She was a loving mother, a gifted teacher, and good queen when I was a child. The Blackness swept over the land and consumed everything. It took her from me. When I was old enough to fight and I went looking for my family, I found not my mother or even the Evil Queen. No, the Blackness had created something far worse and more wicked. She wasn’t green like my aunt, Zelena or anything like that. No, she was decidedly gray and old. Her powers were eating her body and destroying her mind.”

“But, you told me that she sent you here?” Blue questioned.

“She did. In a moment of clarity, a sign of love shown through the blackened heart of hers and the Regina you know came through. She told me to cast the spell, to come to the past, to save us all. It was my destiny. It was the only way that the Blackness couldn’t have me. I was what it wanted. It wanted my powers. If it got them, it would travel to another realm and destroy it as well. It was…devastating. I knew nothing of this place except stories...only stories and tales; to me they were only fables. I came here completely blind to everything.”

“I remember.”

 

Six months before

“Mother Superior, come quick, there is a woman in need of help.”

Blue gathered her cloak and made her way out the convent to the gardens. She was surprised to see a young brunette woman no older than twenty-five lying there in the garden grass. She was battered, bruised and burned. Her clothes reminded her of a mixture of Snow’s, Red’s and Belle’s from their times in the Enchanted Forest, what little as left of them.

“Help me get her inside, Sisters. I’ll take care of her. Until I know more, don’t speak of this to anyone from town. She may need our help,” Blue told them.

Once they had her in a room, Blue shooed everyone out. She sent Nova to get some supplies. When Nova came back into the room, Blue asked her to stay.

“I am going to need your help,” Blue told her.

“Yes, Blue.”

They slowly washed her body. The more dirt they washed away the more wounds they found. Nova gasped as they saw the burns and scars upon her arms and back. There didn’t seem to be a place on her body that hadn’t been touched by whatever torture she had suffered.

“Those are…those are…”

“Magic burns, yes, I know. This poor woman has survived a lot. I don’t know why she was in the garden, but judging by her wounds, she needs our help.”

“I agree.”

“Nova, when we are done cleaning her up, I’ll need these items quickly,” Blue told her handing her a list.

“Yes, Blue, I’ll go get them now.”

“Don’t worry, young one. You’re in safe hands now. I’ll heal your body.”

“Hmmpf…”

“Don’t try to speak. Rest now. I’ll make sure that no one knows you are here. When you can tell me what has happened to you, you will. Then, we will decide what to do.”

 

Storybrooke, present

Blue watched her. There was something oddly familiar about her, but she just thought it was because she was from the Enchanted Forest and she bore the Elite Guards’ tattoo. If what Coraline told her six months ago was the truth, then they only had few years before the “Blackness,” as she referred to it, would come to destroy everything. She knew that Storybrooke was an extension of the Enchanted Forest and she knew that meant that it was possible that the “Blackness” came from there.

“Do you remember anything else?”

“I was too young. Belle was studying everything that they could. I was just too little. I couldn’t help. I don’t think that they understood my powers, yet. It took Belle years to figure out how to trigger my powers much less to harness them. Hell, I still don’t know what I am capable of and scare myself when I do something I don’t mean to do. I almost burned down the shop the other day because I got mad at the mulch.”

“Your magic is tied to your emotions. Surely, you’ve realized that. Maybe we should spend some time together each day working on you powers. I could help you learn to deal with them.”

“That would be a good idea. Then, I could take the potion here and no one would be the wiser. I’ll have to talk to Belle though. I will have to rearrange the schedule for the shop. She lets me run it how I see fit, but it is technically hers, so…”

“I understand. And, you’re right, it would make things easier for the both us concerning your concealment. I’ll begin working on the potion. I’ll bring it by the shop later.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. We still have to figure out what the Blackness is so we can stop it. Go on back to work. Don’t let this bother you. I’ll see you later. Maybe have some flowers ready for me or something, so it will look like I have reason to be there.”

“Sure thing,” Coraline stated, leaving.

Blue watched her go. She knew that she would have to intensify her research, but she didn’t know how long she could go before Nova or one of the other fairies picked up on it. No one seemed to question her comings and goings back to the Enchanted Forest. Most of the fairies didn’t care. And, none of them had noticed that a few beans had been missing from their private stash of magic beans. She was worried about Regina, though. She was smart, sometimes too smart for her own good. Regina would be the only one who could hinder this operation and if she did, she wondered how the Evil Queen would try to take it out on her this time.

 

Coraline entered Granny’s diner two days later for lunch. She sat up at the counter much like she did every day. But, today was different. She could tell. She could sense it.

“Whatcha want, kiddo?” Ruby asked.

“How about a grilled chicken Caesar salad and an iced tea?”

“Coming right up,” Ruby told her, walking away.

She could only hope that the potion that Blue made was masking her natural scent to the woman. She knew that Red above all the rest would be the reason she was found out. There was just something about her werewolf senses that still unnerved her. She didn’t care that Red was a wolf. She came to cherish that side of her. It was just that she was so damn in tune with things.

“You okay, Coraline?” Ruby asked setting down the iced tea.

“Yeah, just thinking about what the Mayor offered me the other day.”

“Belle told me about that. She said that you came up with a way to help Regina’s apple tree. I didn’t even know it was sick. I am sure that Regina would have said something about it. She loves that tree…a lot. That tree is her pride and joy, after Henry of course,” Ruby stated.

“Of course.”

“But, are you going to take the landscaping job for the town?”

“I don’t know. It will be a lot of work. I wouldn’t be able to work the shop as much.”

“I thought that is why you hired Holly and Travis. They can handle the shop while you deal with the landscaping, right? I mean I know how much you love to be outside working in the dirt.”

Coraline stared at her and cocked an eyebrow. Ruby just laughed. It was like there was some inside joke that Coraline hadn’t been completely privy to about herself.

“Care to explain that one to me, Red?”

“Hey, calm down. I just know that you like being outside and dealing with the fertilizer and the mulch more than watering all the plants. You smell like it when you come home. It is nothing to be ashamed of, Kid,” Ruby replied, and then told her, “Hold on. Your food is ready.”

Coraline smiled. It was true. She did like being outdoors, especially in the forest. It reminded her of home. She sighed as she thought about home. She needed to start researching more. That was the whole point of her being there. She needed to find a way to stop the Blackness.

Ruby put the salad down in front of her. She grabbed a pitcher and refilled her tea. Then, she very unceremoniously plopped both elbows on the counter and stared at her.

“What?”

“Did you change your shampoo?”

“No, why?” Coraline asked around a mouthful of salad.

“You smell different,” Ruby commented nonchalantly.

“I thought you said I smelled like dirt,” Coraline replied, taking a bite of her salad.

“You do. You did. I mean, but there was something else before. Now, it’s gone.”

“Haven’t changed anything, Rubes. Promise. Everything is the same,” she lied.

“Huh? Oh, well, maybe it was just my imagination. Have a good lunch,” she said walking off.

It was at that moment that Regina came in and sat down next to her. Regina noticed the slight stiffness that came over Coraline when she took her seat. She didn’t mean to do it,  
but she knew that she would always have a problem considering what she went through with Regina.

“Good afternoon, Miss French. I see you are enjoying a nice healthy salad today. Is it good?”

“Yes, Madam Mayor, it is,” Coraline replied, taking another healthy bite.

“Ruby, my usual please.”

“Coming right up.”

“You haven’t gotten back to me about the apple tree, Miss French. Did you find something that will help it? Or, will I just have to continue to watch it as I have been?”

“Your tree seems to be healthy enough. You have taken excellent care of it, Madam Mayor. As for some fertilizer for it, yes, I can make you something up. I’ll bring it by later in the week. I’ve just been really busy with the shop,” Coraline told her.

“I understand, dear. Is there anything that I can do to help you? Anything at all?”

“No, ma’am, there isn’t. I just need to get my fertilizers mixed and ready for sale. I’ve been talking with Belle about the landscaping contract, though.”

“Oh, and what did she say?”

“She is leaving it up to me. Belle is so busy with the library. Holly and Travis help out a lot, but, I am not sure that I am ready to leave them on their own. That shop means everything to Belle and me. It is the only thing that we have left of Dad and our brothers. Plus, I have been running the shop for so long, I am not sure that I would be able to devote the time and effort that you are looking for into the landscaping, Madam Mayor,” she replied.

“Well, think it over. I am sure that you will find some people willing to help you if you do decide to take it. I know that you would make me very happy if you did. I can get you the help at the shop or for the contract if you need it. I know some people looking for some work,” Regina said, and took a sip of her coffee, right as Ruby sat it down in front of her.

“I will…think about it, that is. It is a very inviting offer. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to the shop. I have to get that fertilizer finished and ready for sale by morning,” Coraline told her, standing up and reaching for her wallet to pay for her meal.

“Don’t worry about the salad, Miss French. I’ll get it for you. But, think about taking the contract,” Regina stated as Coraline nodded, leaving.


	2. Chapter 2

Coraline sat in her car staring at the convent. She had been coming out there morning and afternoon more and more in the last weeks. It wasn’t time for her to get another potion. She was mad at herself. She knew that Blue was trying to help her learn to control her magic, but her emotions were still getting the best of her.

“You’re here early,” Blue said, walking up beside her car.

“I am sorry. I didn’t know where else to go. I used magic today at work.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Did anyone see you?”

“I don’t think so. But, I am scared. It is getting harder and harder to control it, now. The potion is masking my smell and Ruby can’t smell me, but she knows something. I didn’t think that it was going to be this hard to hide in plain sight.”

“Come on in. We’ll talk some more about the potion. I’ll add some new ingredients to it. That should help you with your control, but it won’t be a fix all. You will still need you to learn to control your emotions,” Blue told her.

“I know.”

Coraline followed her into the convent and into her office. Blue shut the door and then sound proofed the room so none of the other fairies could hear their conversation. She watched the scared woman as she rounded her desk and sat down.

“Tell me what happened,” Blue implored.

“I was outside working, stacking some wood and it wouldn’t stay stacked. It fell down for the umpteenth time and I got frustrated. I flicked my hand and then stuff went everywhere.”

“You got mad and flicked your hand?”

“Yeah, and the wood started flying around.”

“Like it flew away from you or floated in the air?” Blue asked.

“It blew away from me.”

“You force pushed it. Alright, that might be something we need to work on. You need to learn to contain your anger. If it is that easy for you to cast something without thinking about it, imagine how destructive it could be when you actually tried.”

“I know and that is why I am scared.”

“You haven’t hurt anyone.”

“Yet,” Coraline added.

“Listen, Coraline. I am trying to teach you how to control your powers. You’ll have to find a way to control your emotions. Maybe you do something every day that you like. Take the landscaping job for Regina. It could help you get closer to figuring out how to help your mother and maybe that will help you with your emotions. You said that working outside calms you, do that to calm yourself.”

“You make it sound so easy,” Coraline stated.

“It can be that easy if you let it. I know that you said your mother hurt you, but she is also the one that saved you by sending you here. She might have remembered something and knows that you are the only one who can help her. Coraline, I wish you would tell me more about the future, but I understand your reasoning for not. It could change the outcome. But, think about this, young one. Your own mother sent you back to the past to change the outcome that you know. Maybe, this is part of that. I don’t have all the answers. We are looking into the evil that you described, but alas I don’t have the resources that I once had in the Enchanted Forest.”

“I know.”

“If I were to travel there to find out something, it would create a permanent portal. I am not sure that everyone is ready for that. The only other place I can think of to do research would be the library. I am sure that both Regina and Rumple hid books there. You would be the easiest choice in searching there. They wouldn’t question you, and neither would Belle,” Blue stated.

“I know.”

“Then why don’t we do that?”

“Do what?”

“You and I will work with your magic in the mornings. I’ll give the potion and then you can go to work. In the afternoon, when Holly or Travis comes in, I’ll meet you at the library and we will begin a new search there. The only other thing I know to do is tell your mother the truth and hope that she doesn’t go ballistic because you didn’t trust her enough to come to her first.”

“You’ve seen my back. I think that would be self-explanatory. Would you trust her?”

“That person, no, I wouldn’t. But, the one in the here and now, yes, I do believe that I would try trust her. She is the loving mother that you remember from your childhood not the Darkened Witch that you fought to get here. Think about that.”

“I will, but is hard knowing that she is the Black Queen.”

“Just remember this: the entire town is part of your kingdom. She was once their Evil Queen, but in the end, she proved to be their greatest ally against an evil they didn’t know. These are your people. You would be surprised what these town folk will do for the Crown of White and those that they care for. We all may be your greatest ally, now.”

“I’ve seen them all die for it,” Coraline replied nonchalantly. 

“Then, maybe they should be told about what is to come,” Blue stated.

“Yeah, and cause a mass panic. No thanks. I’ll figure out how to defeat it and then tell Mom. She’ll make the preparations and that will be the end of it. I’ll get to grow up in peace.”

“Now, who is making it sound too easy?” Blue questioned.

Coraline shook her head. She knew that Blue was right. She needed to tell her mother who she really was. Then, she could get Regina to help her. It was a long shot that Regina would believe her anyway. She just didn’t know the right way to walk up to the intimidating woman and just tell her. How do you tell one of the most power women in Storybrooke that something was coming more powerful than any curse they had ever seen? How do you prepare them for death? 

 

Earlier that day

Regina has stopped by the Game of Thorns shop to talk with Coraline. She wanted to thank her for the fertilizer spikes that she had put under her tree. She had noticed that the leaves seemed greener and the tree seemed to thrive with renewed vigor. 

When she had asked Holly where she was, Holly merely pointed out back to the mulch, compost and fertilizer piles. Regina thanked the shop girl and went outside to find Coraline. She stopped almost immediately when she saw her.

She wasn’t prepared to the see the young woman in nothing by jeans and tank top. Regina gave a smirk, because from behind, Coraline reminded her of Emma. She started to make her way over to where she was stacking some timbers. She could see the frustrated look on her face.

“Damn it all to Hell!” Coraline exclaimed.

Regina giggled. She was about to step up and make a smart comment when Coraline’s actions stopped her dead in her tracks. Regina couldn’t believe what she just saw. 

“She’s got magic?” Regina whispered to herself.

Coraline flicked her wrist at the pile of timbers and they flew away from her. Regina noted the surprise on the younger woman’s face, but it didn’t stop her own blood from boiling. Coraline had lied to her. There was no way that she could be Belle’s younger sister. Then some of the things that Ruby had been stating came back to mind. She didn’t look like Belle or any of the other members of the French family. She smelled like Henry. She didn’t know what that had to do with anything, but it stuck out in her head.

She didn’t see Coraline go back into the shop. But it was obvious that Coraline hadn’t seen her. She heard her tell Holly that she was going out to see Blue about something. She saw Holly give her a noncommittal nod as she left. Regina took that moment to come back inside.

“You find Coraline?”

“No, I think I missed her.”

“Yeah, you must have. She just left to go see Blue. I think she is helping them with their booths for Spring Fest. I’ll tell her you stopped by, if you want me to,” Holly told her.

“No, that’s fine, Miss Watts. I am sure that I will run into her later. She has a meeting scheduled with me later about the landscaping contract, unless she has forgotten.”

“I’ll text her to remind her,” Holly stated.

“Don’t worry about it, dear. I am sure that she has a lot on her mind. I’ll see you later,” Regina told her leaving the shop.

Regina got into her car and drove out to the Convent. She watched Blue and Coraline go into the offices and talk. She didn’t know if she should wait for her to come out to confront her or not. It was during her mental debate with herself about confronting the woman that she saw Coraline and Blue head out of the offices and into the woods. She decided to follow them then.

 

The woods behind the Convent

Coraline followed Blue down to the river that was on the edge of town and flowed through the Convent’s property. They were deeper in the woods than she had ever been with Blue and she knew it was to hide them from the other fairies. She was still surprised that Nova and the rest didn’t question her presence at the Convent. She knew they wouldn’t question Blue’s dealings and since Blue was the one who had personally taken it upon herself to teach her how to deal with her magic, they wouldn’t question their relationship at all.

“We can practice here. It is out of the way of prying eyes and I believe it will help you stay calm. Do you think that you could find your way here again without having to come to the Convent first?” Blue asked her.

“I am sure that I could.”

“Good. You need to do that. I don’t think that you would want the town’s folk thinking that you were planning on joining the fold. I don’t think that any of them are quite ready to admit that they find it strange that all the fairies are nuns,” Blue stated.

“I hadn’t thought of that. I am surprised that Holly or Belle hasn’t questioned it yet. I guess they both just figured that I was helping you with your part of the Spring Fest.”

“It would be a logical explanation. However, what would you do after the celebration? How would you explain your presence here daily, then?”

“I have no idea.”

“I am not afraid for you, but there are those that would question it. I am sure that you are aware of how Red likes to know things. You said that she almost got you caught because of your scent. I am surprised that she didn’t say anything to Belle about it.”

“I am, as well,” Coraline answered.

“Has anyone questioned your relationship with Belle?”

“No, everyone still believes that I am her younger sister.”

“That is good. I was amazed at how quickly you mastered that accent of hers. It must be hard to fake it all the time.”

“Actually, it isn’t. I am quite used to using it. I’ve done it before.”

“Back in the Enchanted Forest?” Blue inquired.

“Yes, I’ve known Belle…for a long time.”

“She was a teacher of yours?”

“Yes, she was. She and Red held together the survivors of the Blackness in Rumple’s castle. His dark magic clashed with the Blackness and it couldn’t penetrate his former domain. We were safe there, but not happy. We were alive, but we were dead.”

“You left the confines? Why? Why did you leave?”

“I wanted to fight the Blackness. I wanted to stop the suffering. I wanted to find out what really happened to my parents and my family. I needed to…be something more than I was.”

“You went out seeking a destiny?”

“It isn’t seeking when it is thrust upon you,” Coraline answered.

“You speak of things you haven’t told me. I cannot fully help unless you tell me everything that you can. If you are to defeat the Blackness, then you must tell me everything.”

“I can’t and you know that.”

“Will you tell me more about what happened when you confronted the Blackness?”

“I can’t. There is nothing left to tell. I’ve told you everything.”

“I can’t help if I don’t know,” Blue told her.

“I know that. I have told you everything. There is nothing left for me to tell.”

“You don’t know what started it?”

“If I did, I would have told you,” Coraline told her, feeling her magic flowing in anger.

“Calm down, young one. I can see the fire building beneath your fingers. You are so prone to anger like your mother. You must learn to control that. You can’t get angry like that and burn something or someone. Let’s start with that.”

“With what?”

“Fire, we’ll start with fire,” Blue told her.

Regina had let her curiosity get the better of her. She let them wander into the woods a good spell before she followed them. She heard them talking but couldn’t make out what they were saying. She knew that Blue was taking her deep into the woods, but she didn’t know why. She wanted to know what the little Blue bug was hiding.  
She found a small copse of trees and a stump. She took a seat on the stump. She was far enough away that they wouldn’t see her, but close enough that she could hear their conversation.

“You want to start with fire?”

“It is the most destructive,” Blue replied matter-of-factly.

“I know that.”

“Why are you afraid of it?”

“I am not.”

“You are. What happened with your fire before? What aren’t you telling me, Coraline?”

“It isn’t my fire that I am afraid of,” she answered.

“Your mother’s?”

“Of course, my mother’s, who else.”

“Then, we must learn to control it.”

“How? How do you control destruction? How could I possibly do that?”

“First you must learn to control your conjuring.”

“I get angry and make fire. That is simple. I understand that. Fire is anger.”

“No, it isn’t that simple. Fire is anger for you, yes, but you need to learn to call upon it when you aren’t angry. Anger is a simple magician’s tool. You are more powerful than that.”

“I need to learn to call it when I am not angry. Yeah, Blue, that sounds safe. Why?”

“Because if you can find a way to call it without being angry, you control its summoning.”

Regina nodded in affirmation from her seat. She knew that, but it was also easy just to give into the anger. Coraline was right: fire was anger and destruction.

“So, if I can will it to come, I can control its appearance.”

“Yes, young one, exactly. Now, stand facing the river, palms up and out. I want you to think about the fire. I want you to feel it surging through your body. Now, call it into your right hand and hold it there. Only call it to your right hand, though,” Blue told her.

Coraline stood facing the babbling water and cleared her mind. She felt the surge of magic in her blood, again, and it was exhilarating. She closed her eyes and will the magic to one side of her body. She opened them and looked at Blue as a small fireball began to form in her right hand. A slow smile crept across her face.  
Regina gasped. The girl had more control than she thought. She had more control than Emma did and that was saying a lot. She was good. She was very good and it scared Regina. 

She couldn’t remember Coraline from the Enchanted Forest. She couldn’t remember Belle ever mentioning a sister before the Curse, but she had one during it. Regina began to think. She went over every town’s person. Coraline never came up. She couldn’t place her. She was an unknown person in a town full of people that Regina knew everything about. And, because Regina didn’t know who she was, it made Coraline dangerous to her.

“Good, very good. Now, flow the fire to your left hand and hold it. Once you’ve done that, I want you to keep your right hand from conjuring another fire ball.”

Coraline moved her hands over each other. She passed the fireball from her right hand to her left. She was amazed that she had done it. When she moved her right hand away, the residual magic that was there tried to ignite. She stared at her hand as it sparked over and over again, before finally stopping and there being nothing.

“That is good. It will take practice, but you will learn to move the magic through your body if you have to change positions. You’re doing well. Now, take the fireball with both hands and make it grow. Make it as big as you dare.”

Regina stood up. She wanted to see what the girl could do. She moved a little closer, but still kept herself hidden from their view.

Coraline put the ball of fire between her hands and slowly pulled them apart. She watched wide-eyed as the fireball grew in size and intensity between her hands. She kept it going until the ball was roughly the size of a basketball and she held it there.

“You don’t want to try for bigger?”

“You want me to burn the woods?”

“Fair enough, Coraline. Now, you must do something that most people with magic hate. You must reabsorb the power you have conjured. Slowly, bring the fireball back down to a more manageable size and place it in your right hand. Good. Now, you are going to place your left hand over the ball and push it into your right hand, willing the magic back inside your body.”

Coraline did as instructed. She pushed her hands together and the fire went out. She smiled at Blue, realizing that she had learned more in that simple lesson on how to control her magic than she had in years of practice with Belle.

“Now open your hands,” Blue commanded her.

When she did, an arc of fire exploded from her body and in the air. Blue was already ready with her wand in hand, casting water from the river at the fiery expulsion. Coraline fell down in horror and frustration.

“Do not fret, young one. That is a difficult skill to master. I know plenty of magicians that would throw the fire ball into water than reabsorb it. Sometimes it causes more pain in the act of absorption than the act of conjuring. We will continue to work on that. It will be a valuable skill for you in the future,” Blue told her.

“I am sure.”

Regina was worried. She needed to research this woman. She would be a problem if she went rogue or worse…. Regina didn’t want to think about it. She needed to figure out who this Coraline French really was. She knew of only one place that she could go and do this without interruption or having to explain her actions. Her vault. She teleported herself there, in her customary purple smoke not caring if they saw her now.

Coraline turned in the direction of where Regina was. She didn’t see anything, but she could have sworn that she heard something. Blue looked over as well, following her line of sight.

“See something?” Blue asked.

“No, I guess not. I thought I heard something, but I guess it was nothing. Can we try again?”

“Sure, try it again. Start with the ball of fire in your right and repeat the entire thing. I’ll be here if you need me or if you try to light the woods on fire. Go slowly. Don’t try to do anything at full speed or quickly until you are sure that you can do it.”

“Yeah, I know. Wouldn’t want to start a forest fire. I need to prevent that from happened as only I can. I have to learn to control my fire,” Coraline answered.

 

Across town in Regina’s vault, she paces. She is trying to calm herself down before she goes to confront Coraline. She didn’t know what to do. Should she go at her with magic? She didn’t know. It was the unknown that frightened Regina. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to involve Red, Belle or Emma. She figured that she would do it alone.

She thought about going at Blue, but she didn’t want to tip her hand. She and Blue didn’t have the best relationship. She knew that Blue would alert Coraline and then she wouldn’t find the answers that she was looking for. It was a dilemma that she didn’t want to be in.

She also knew that she couldn’t ask Gold. He wasn’t known for his tact and he would tell Belle immediately. Belle would alert Coraline and once again, she would know nothing. No, she would have to do it on her own, but how?

She thought about using a truth spell, but that would show that she didn’t trust the younger woman. Well, she didn’t trust her…yet. She needed to know why Coraline was keeping her ability to use magic such a secret. It just didn’t make sense. She had to know that Gold had magic. Everyone on in town knew that Emma and Regina did, but why was Coraline hiding?

Regina finally shook her head. She needed to know. She had to know. It was after all her ultimate responsibility to the people of Storybrooke to know things. And, this was a big thing that she did need to know. She gathered her wits about her and poofed back to her car.

It had gotten dark. Evening it seemed had come early. She knew that she should call Henry and make sure that he was okay. He was staying with the Charmings tonight, so it would give her the time she needed to talk with Coraline.

“Hey, Henry,” she said.

“Hiya, Mom,” he replied.

“How was school?” 

“It was fine.”

“That’s good. Do you still want lasagna tomorrow? I’ll need to get the ingredients if you do.”

“That sounds awesome, Mom. I’ll invite Emma over. You know how she likes it,” he stated.

“That’s fine, Dear.”

“Well, I gotta go. David is calling me for dinner. Love you, Mom,” he said ringing off.

“Love you, too,” Regina replied, as she hung up the phone smiling.

Her talk with Henry calmed her nerves, but it didn’t stop her mind from wandering back to the question of what to do with Coraline. She knew that Emma, Red, and Belle were expecting her to show up to the Rabbit Hole for drinks. She hoped that she would be able to talk with her before she was supposed to meet them. She looked at her watch. She needed to go.

She made her way to her Mercedes and drove the short distance from the Covent to Belle’s old house. It was a modest house that Gold had given her once the curse was lifted. She let Coraline stay there now that she had moved in with Gold after their marriage. When Coraline moved in, Gold extended the free rent to her as well. Regina wasn’t surprised. She knew that Gold would do anything for Belle, which included Coraline as well. He also looked out for Coraline, since the main part of the Frenches left town just after the Curse broke. Regina wondered if they even remembered their sisters, or daughters, still here.

She stood outside the house and studied it. There were only a few lights on and she was sure that Coraline was the only one home. She wasn’t sure if she should just barge in, but she didn’t feel the need to knock or ring the bell. She was trying to confront her, not coddle her because she had magic. No, Regina wanted to know what was going on in her town.

She barged up to the front door. For a second, social norms tried to take over as she raised her hand to knock. She lowered it almost as quickly as she had raised it. She flicked her fingers at the knob and the door opened. Well, if she had powerful magic, she wasn’t protecting her home and it made Regina wonder how powerful she really was.

As she made her way inside the house, she noticed the sparse decorations. Coraline hadn’t done much to improve the place since Belle and Rumple had given it to her. She decided to look around, to see if anything would jump out at her as magical and she knew that she had time to do this because she could hear the shower running upstairs.

Regina thought about going up the stairs and confronting her, but she decided that it was uncouth for her to do that. She would wait downstairs for her. She would wait and she would brood. She couldn’t control the thoughts running through her head about Coraline and magic. None of them made sense but they all had their logical places in her mind.

She heard the shower stop and someone walk across the hallway. She heard some muffled voices and then the distinct sound of a fist on drywall. It was enough for Regina to be up the stairs and looking for Coraline. She wanted to confront her about the magic, but seeing as how she got frustrated and used it earlier, Regina wanted to make sure they didn’t burn the house down, either. She was just outside what she figured was Coraline’s bedroom when a flash of skin caught her eye. She wasn’t usually one to stare, but there was something odd about it and she wanted to know why it caught her so off guard.

She pushed the door open and stood in the door way. She watched as a naked Coraline wrapped up further in a blood red, purple, blue, and black blanket. Coraline had it wrapped around her in a toga-like fashion. Her right arm was bear and she was using some sort of magic to heal the wound that Regina could see had formed just below her elbow. 

“Care to tell me how you got that?” Regina asked, announcing her presence.

Coraline spun around, clutching the blanket to her bosom. The look of shock on her face wasn’t as amusing as the anger that swept over her at Regina standing there in her room. She opened her mouth to speak but then closed it just as fast.

“I could help you with that, if you would like,” Regina offered.

“No,” she replied forcefully.

“Do you want to explain how that happened?”

“Not to you.”

“Have I done something to you that would cause such anger?”

“Not today, you haven’t, your majesty.”

“What exactly does that mean?” Regina asked.

“I don’t have anything to say to you.”

“I believe that you do, Dear.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I know what you can do,” Regina said flatly.

“I think you should go, Madam Mayor. I don’t know what you are talking about and I definitely don’t know why you are in my house uninvited. Please leave. I wouldn’t want to call the Sheriff on you,” Coraline told her, hoping she would leave.

“Then you can explain to her what I saw today. I am sure that she would love to hear all about how you got angry at the shop and took it out on some fence posts and then how you were down by the river with Blue trying to not burn the forest down. Go ahead and call her. I am sure that your sister would love to hear the tale, too. Or, would you prefer that I call them for you, Dear?”

“Have you been following me?”

“I did follow you after I saw your display at the store. I have to say that I was surprised that the youngest of the French clan possessed powers. I was even more surprised that you got Blue to help you. I mean you could have come to me, but I get that you might not want the Evil Queen to teach you magic. But, then again, Rumple is now your brother-in-law and he could be teaching you, but he is the Dark One. Are you ever going to tell Belle that you could do magic?”

“I don’t see how that matters now. You will end up telling her. What do you want from me?” Coraline asked her again, this time without all the anger in her voice.

If Regina didn’t see the hatred in her eyes, she would have thought that Coraline was surrendering to her. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but it was like she was broken and trying to find something to put herself back, again. She hadn’t been using her magic for personal gain. She was trying to learn to control it before she hurt someone. Regina thought that it was an admirable trait to use for training. She just wasn’t sure what Coraline was so afraid of.

Coraline spun back around and left her right shoulder facing Regina. In the movement the blanket moved and her right bicep was visible, showing her the tattoo. Regina gasped when she saw her coat-of-arms mixed with that of a redone Charming’s. She knew what that tattoo could mean. The colors weren’t that different than when she was Queen in the Enchanted Forest.

“Who are you?” Regina demanded.

“I am Coraline French.”

Regina cocked her head. She knew that the tattoo would have magic. Those who bore it were sworn to defend the royal house of the Enchanted Forest with no questions. It was a type of blood magic and one that Regina used for her own protection and benefit.

“You are a member of my Elite Guard according to your tattoo. What Queen do you serve? Who are you? Why don’t I know you?” Regina demanded.

“I am Coraline French.”

“Tell me your real name, soldier,” Regina commanded through clenched teeth.

Coraline drew a small dagger from under the pillow and spun around to face Regina. As she turned back around, dagger in her right hand, left still holding the blanket around her body, the dagger grew into a full length broad sword and Regina could see that it was Charming’s. She took a step back as Coraline leveled the tip with her throat.

“Please, my Lady, do not make me answer you.”

“Why shouldn’t I make you?”

“It is for your own protection.”

“Why is it for my protection?” Regina asked.

“I cannot say.”

“Whom do you serve?”

“The three Queens,” she answered.

“And, who are they?”

“They are Queen Snow, Queen Emma, and you, majesty, Queen Regina,” Coraline stated.

“We rule together?”

“You will, my queen.”

“Who are you?”

“Please, my Lady, don’t make me answer,” Coraline begged.

Regina wasn’t going to back down. If she was really a member of the Elite Guard and she was serving three queens, then why was she in Storybrooke, when none of them were queen? Her story didn’t make any sense, but her sincerity about not telling her for her own protection worried Regina. Why would a guard refuse to tell her? She knew that the blood magic would hurt Coraline if she continued to press for an answer. She would eventually have to tell Regina the truth or she would continue to be tortured until she did.

“I know about the magic of the tattoo. I would suggest you answer me. Who are you?”

“Please, my Lady, don’t make me answer,” Coraline pleaded as she knelt down in fealty. 

“Kneeling before me and begging will not answer my question. Why are you here? What is your purpose in Storybrooke?”

“I am a knight to the three queens. I live only to serve and protect. I am here to fulfill that oath.”

“What danger are you here to defend me from?”

“A distant and unknown force, majesty.”

“Can you tell me more?” Regina questioned.

“Not at this time, your highness.”

“Not at this time? Who are you, Knight? What are you here to protect me from? Tell me.”

“I can’t tell you that, right now,” Coraline stated.

“And why is that? Are you a threat to me? Why can’t you tell me?”

“Please, majesty, don’t push me into telling you,” Coraline begged, still kneeling and now backed into a corner against her bed and night table.

Regina watched her. There was something oddly familiar in the way she moved, the way she talked, the way she acted. It reminded her of Henry. Regina actually looked at the woman before her, kowtowing and begging not to answer her questions. It was the first time that she realized that the brunette couldn’t be a French girl. Her dark chocolate eyes resembled her own. She wasn’t prepared for the tattoo on her arm. She didn’t know what to make of it. Coraline’s answers were vague but they spoke of protection and the future.

“You are from the future?” Regina asked.

“I am, Majesty.”

“And, you came back here to protect me?”

“I did, my Lady.”

“Who sent you? Can you at least tell me that? If nothing else, tell me that.”

“You did, my Queen.”

Regina took a step back. She stared at the woman before her. If she had sent her back to herself, now, then why would Coraline tell her why?

“I sent you to me?”

“Not to you, exactly, my Lady. But, to here and now, to make sure that certain events happen and that certain things don’t. I am afraid that I cannot tell you more, because it would cause more rifts than I am willing to be responsible for. My entire presence here is already causing issues with my personal history. Please leave me be and let me do what I’ve come to do.”

“I will not. Tell me who you are. What is your real name, Knight?”

“My name is Coraline French.”

“Is that the name that your mother gave you?” Regina asked.

“No, but it is the name that I use and have used since I was a child.”

“And, what of your parents then?”

“Dead.”

“Dead?”

“Yes, Majesty, they died trying to save the realm and defend me.”

“Against what?”

“I have already said too much.”

“Do I know your parents?”

“Very well, I would say.”

“Who are they?” Regina asked.

“I cannot tell you that either, my Lady.”

“You won’t tell me your name. You won’t tell me who your parents are. You won’t tell me why you are really here except that you are here to protect me. You state I sent you here to do all of this. I would have had a reason. I would have sent something back with you so I would know you are telling the truth. Why would you hide? Why wouldn’t you present me with this item so that I would know you are telling the truth?” Regina asked.

“Please don’t use the magic of the tattoo to make me tell you,” Coraline pleaded.

“Knight, I demand that you tell me who you are. By order of the Queen, tell me your real name. I command you as leader of the Elite guard, who are you?”

“Ahh!!!” Coraline screamed in pain.

“Tell me your name. The pain will end. Tell me who you are.”

“Mom, please, don’t…” Coraline replied in a quiet whisper.


	3. Chapter 3

Enchanted Forest, sometime in the future

Belle and Remy were at a table reading over some books. Belle looked over the top of her book. She knew better than to interrupt Remy while she was studying. She wondered how long Remy would go on this new tangent of reading on the histories of the Enchanted Forest, before she would pick a new topic.

Last month, it has been the languages of Mulan and her island nations to the Far East. The month before that, it had been spell work with water. She couldn’t occupy her mind fast enough and she would jump from topic to topic whenever the mood struck. Belle hoped that she would be able to rein her in, somewhat, but Remy was just like her mothers. She wanted knowledge and she wanted it quickly. It didn’t matter that she didn’t digest it enough to actually understand it. She would just want more. She inherently knew that knowledge was power and power would protect her and her makeshift family.

“When did the Curse occur?” Remy asked as soon as she noticed Belle watching her.

“Right before your mother was born,” Belle answered.

“Not that Curse, the Blackness. When did it happen? There is nothing mentioned about it in the histories, why?” Remy asked.

“You are a bright girl, Coraline, but you can’t ask about that beyond these walls. That curse fell upon us around your fifth year. It was about ten years ago.”

“But, why?” Remy asked, slightly dejected by Belle’s answer.

“Because you are the Swan Princess and the Black Queen still searches for you. Red and I have done everything that we have for you. It was a promise that we made to your mothers. That is why you are called Coraline by everyone in the village. You are important to them all. They just don’t know who you really are,” Belle told her.

“So, for ten years I have hidden in plain sight to the people who are also my subjects. Do you think that they would turn me over to the Black Queen? Do you think so little of them?”

“It isn’t that, Coraline, my dear. People need something to believe in, something to give them hope. You are that hope and they don’t need to know that you are among them. As long as they believe that you are out there, coming to help us all against the Black Queen, then they will support you without knowing they are doing it. They will ask for proof, but you aren’t ready to lead them. And, some of them might turn, yes, but that isn’t why we haven’t told them who you really are. Not everyone has your best interest at heart, my girl. There are those that who want to please the Black Queen because they think that it will bring them favor. You have to remain vigilant and careful. You have to stay safe.”

“And, what about Red? Does she? Why doesn’t she have to be careful?”

“She does, little one. She always has because of her wolf-side. She can’t help it. She is out looking for survivors. Every day she searches. Some days she finds some, some days nothing but books and evidence that people were ever there.”

“But, why does she go?”

“She is still looking for signs of your mothers.”

“She has been looking for ten years. Don’t you both think that she would have found something by now? Or, is there something that you aren’t telling me, Auntie Belle?” she questioned.

“No, Coraline, there isn’t. Red was a good friend to both your mother Emma and your grandmother Snow. She is doing it out of her duty to them. She is doing it to appease her own mind, girl. She needs to know for herself that nothing remains,” Belle stated.

“So, she searches aimlessly? Grams and Ma are dead. She knows that right?”

“She does.”

“And, how is that safe?”

“Coraline…”

“No, how is that safe? She goes off gallivanting searching for…for…for what? Evidence that my family isn’t truly dead? Is it not enough that they never made it, here to Rumple’s castle? Is it not enough that they have never sent word here? To us? To you? How is any of this safe?”

“Coraline…”

“No, don’t do that. You are both supposed to be loyal to the royal House of White and to me, but she is out there, by herself, doing the gods know what and I’m here doing nothing. How does that help me uphold my legacy? How does that let me respect the memories of my mothers? How does any of this keep their memory alive?”

“Because, you are still alive. You will one day reclaim the throne of the Forest. You will be the Swan Queen. I only hope that I will be there to see you ascend to your throne,” Belle told her.

“And, why wouldn’t you be?”

“I am not saying that I won’t be there. I am just hoping that it will happen sooner rather than later. Coraline, you need to remain calm. I know you are restless. I’ll talk to Red. I’ll get her to stay home for a while. I am sure that she’ll be happy to help you expend some energy.”

“Yay, we’ll fight and we’ll train. That isn’t exactly what I mean. Why can’t I leave? Why will I always have to stay here? I know that the castles of my family are gone, but surely we don’t have to live here forever. There has got to be somewhere out there better than this,” Remy stated, as she paced the room.

“Coraline…”

“Look, Auntie Belle. I love you, I do, but isn’t there more out there that you want? Isn’t this, all of this, our history, worth fighting for? I think that it is. My mothers thought so, too, but yet, we are hiding here in Rumple’s castle waiting for confirmation that we have a chance. Chance or no, I want to know what we are really up against,” Coraline demanded.

She didn’t hear the door open behind. She couldn’t see the look on Red’s face that was mixture of pain, sadness, and anger. Belle didn’t have a chance to warn her. Nor did she think that she wanted to, she knew that Coraline was restless but she also knew that she had this coming.

Belle looked at Red with pleading eyes, hoping that she would go softly on Coraline. She knew that Red was angry. She could see it on her face. Belle tried to stop Coraline line of dialogue and thinking, but she knew that Coraline wasn’t going to stop.

“How can we save the kingdom? How can I become the queen the people need if I don’t know what I am going to be fighting? How can I become the next savior when I don’t know anything besides what is in the books you give me?” Coraline asked, her back still to Red, with her voice raised as she stared Belle down.

“Because we are trying!” Red yelled at her.

“Aunt Red?!?” Coraline yelped as she turned to find Red almost on her, both of their eyes burning with rage and emotion.

“If you think that I haven’t been trying to find answers for you, young lady, you are sadly mistaken. Everything that I have done these past ten years has been for you and the possibility of resurrecting the kingdom. Yes, I served your Grandma. And, yes, I served your mother. I still do, every day. My whole existence is wrapped up in keeping you alive and the dream that one day you will the Swan Queen. So pardon me for not giving you everything that you desire, your highness, I’ll try better,” Red replied as she stormed off to her own rooms.

She stopped near Belle and handed her a bag full of books. Belle took them and gave her a pleading look to wait and talk with Coraline. Red shook her head and continued away. Belle let her go, knowing that she was probably fighting her wolf-side and anger. She would give Red time to calm down before she went to her.

Belle looked in the bag. There were several leather bound, embossed, and filigreed books of some sort. She pulled one out to study it. She flipped through the pages and found that it was blank. She laid in on the table and grabbed another. It too was blank, as were the rest.

“Why would she bring back empty journals?” Belle asked aloud not realizing that she had vocalized her thoughts.

“What?” Coraline asked, as she picked on up.

She flipped through the pages and saw a delicate script on the pages. She picked up each book and flipped through them. Each one had the same delicate hand writing. She held open one of them and showed it to Belle.

“You can’t read this?”

“Read what, Coraline? There is nothing there. It is blank.”

“You can’t see it?”

“Can’t see what?”

“The writing,” Coraline answered.

“There is no writing. What are you talking about? There isn’t anything written on those pages.”

“Emma has just broken my curse. I am waiting for the masses. I know that they will come for me. How can they not? I wonder if I will be able to hold them off long enough to find a way out. I don’t know if my magic will work. It is different here. And, there is the fact that I haven’t had to use it in over twenty-eight years. I should call Rumple, or Mr. Gold, as he is known here. I need to know if we have magic again.”

“What did you just read?”

“So, I have no magic. But, it didn’t matter. Emma saved me. I have tried to kill this woman, drive her out of town and make her look bad to Henry, but she just doesn’t quit. I guess she gets that from her parents. I still can’t believe that they stood with her on my front porch as she pulled Dr. Frankenstein off me. Why did I name him Whale, again? It doesn’t matter. What does is that Emma saved me. I don’t understand it.”

“Let me see that,” Belle said taking the journal from her.

“Is that from Mom?”

“It sounds like it would be her diary, but I don’t understand.”

“Don’t understand what?”

“How come you can read it? There is nothing on the page when I look it at. I know that Regina would enchant certain items, but her journals, what would be the point?”

“To keep someone from reading them,” Coraline answered a little sarcastically.

“I know that, but what kind of enchantment is it?” Belle asked.

“Blood magic!!!” they both said in unison.

“That would explain why you can read it. You are her child. Quick grab another one and see if it is a journal or not,” Belle said handing her another journal.

“I actually felt bad for Snow tonight. I know that she doesn’t approve of how I do things, but I am trying not to be the Evil Queen. It felt soooo gooood to take his heart. To feel it pulsing in my hands, to know that I held that boys life, but it wasn’t like I was trying to destroy him. I was just going to use him to get a message to Henry. He was a means to the end and nothing more. If the boy survives our planned attack on Pan’s camp, then I will give him his heart back. I have no need of it now that I have spoken with Henry.”

“By the gods, Coraline, these are your mother’s journals. Red must have found them in the castle or somewhere. We need to talk to her.”

“I…”

“Need to apologize, I know. Give her time. Let her cool off. I am sure that the information that you are looking for is in the journals. Hopefully we have enough. I would hate to think that we are missing some. If we are, we will just have to wait for someone to find the rest.”

“I’ll go look for them,” Coraline stated.

“No, you won’t,” Red said, rejoining them, completely calm. 

Storybrooke, present night

Coraline woke up in bed. It was dark. Her body hurt like a truck had run over her. She sat up slightly only to realize that she was still naked except for the blanket. Her stomach was exposed as were both her arms. And, the only thing that bothered her about the situation was that she couldn’t remember how she got in bed.

“Mom, please...don’t,” she said. It was the last thing that she could remember. She rolled over slightly and grabbed her cell phone. It read: 9:15. She was late meeting Belle and the rest at the Rabbit Hole. She immediately sat up and wished she hadn’t.

“Good, you’re awake. I wasn’t sure how long you were going to be out. You might want to call your sister, Dear, and tell her that you aren’t going to make it.”

“Wha—“

“If you think that I am going to let you go drink after what you said to me, you more daft than I’ve thought. Call Belle and tell her that you don’t feel well. We have much to discuss. I’ll be down stairs in your kitchen, waiting. Don’t be long, Dear. I am sure that you know I don’t like to be kept waiting,” Regina said, standing in the door way.

Coraline held her cell phone a little tighter. She watched as Regina left her alone. She couldn’t believe that she had broken down enough under the power of the tattoo’s blood magic that she actually addressed Regina as “Mom.” She had taken more pain from it before, but this was different. It was more emotional now.

She got out of the bed and grabbed a black wife-beater tank top and a pair of boxers. She put them on quickly. She looked at the phone again. It was 9:24. She needed to call Belle.

She dialed the number and waited for her to pick. She wasn’t surprised that it took her a minute to answer. She could already hear the jukebox in the background.

“Hey, Coraline, you still coming?” she asked.

“I don’t think so. I don’t really feel that good. I think I’m just going to stay home.”

“Do you need me to come over?” Belle asked.

“No, I’m good. I promise. I don’t think it is bad. If it is, I’ll call you back,” she replied.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, I am sure.”

“Well, how about we get lunch tomorrow?”

“That sounds good.”

“You don’t sound good, Coraline. Are you sure that you don’t want me to come over and check on you? It wouldn’t be any trouble,” Belle stated.

“No, no, I’m okay. I’m fine. I promise. I’ll meet you for lunch.”

“Don’t you have your meeting with Regina in the morning?”

“I do.”

“Then, we’ll meet for lunch around one at Granny’s.”

“That sounds perfect,” Coraline replied.

“And, then you can tell me more about the contract that she is giving you,” Belle stated.

Coraline winced. She didn’t want the contract. Well, she did, but she didn’t want to be around Regina that much. She couldn’t tell Belle that. Hell, she couldn’t even tell Belle what was really going on with her, much less what she was thinking.

“Yeah, I’ll see you at one o’clock at Granny’s. Give Emma and Ruby my regrets. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll tell them why you couldn’t make it. Just get some sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good night,” Belle replied, ringing off.

Coraline stared at her cell phone. She knew how stubborn Regina was. She also knew that Regina would make good on her word and would still be waiting for her in the kitchen come morning, if she didn’t come drag her out of the room before then, when Coraline came down for breakfast. She knew that she would have to get down there soon before Regina came up to check on her again.

Coraline finally decided to bite the bullet and go downstairs. On the way, she stole a glance at the journal sitting on her bedside table. She thought about grabbing it and taking it downstairs with her, but decided that she would make Regina wait.

As she made her way in the kitchen, she noticed that Regina hadn’t turned the lights on. She was however sitting at the table with a bottle of McKutchen whiskey and two glasses. She grabbed the bottle and poured two glasses. Regina pushed one of them across the table to Coraline as she sat down opposite her.

“I see you finally decided to come down.”

“I was on the phone with Belle,” Coraline offered.

“How is your ‘sister’?”

“She’s fine. She’s happy. Does that really matter?”

“No, I suppose it doesn’t.”

“Then why are bringing her in this?”

“You are very defensive about a woman who isn’t really your relative,” Regina stated.

“You would be to if she was the one that raised you.”

“What does that mean?”

“Exactly what I said. She is the woman who reared me. Forgive for worrying about her.”

“Belle raised you, yet, you call me ‘Mom’,” Regina stated.

“I can’t fight the truth.”

“Why did Belle raise you?”

“I can’t tell you that,” Coraline replied, wincing slightly.

“It would be easier on you, my Dear, if you just told me everything and the truth.”

“I cannot.”

“Why not?”

“It will change the future. You shouldn’t even know that I am your daughter. So, forgive me for wanting to maintain some of the features of my past, your future, by not telling you everything. It should be enough that I am here, now, but I know that it isn’t,” Coraline replied.

“You expect me to believe you?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“No, I don’t. How can expect the woman who was more worried about the death of her lover than her own child? How can I worry about how you feel in this situation? It is your fault that I am here to begin with. You are the one that told me to cast that damn spell.”

“What spell?” Regina asked.

“The spell that brought me here, the spell that you had been working on since your sister died. The time travelling spell that you were trying to prefect when Hell on Earth began, the same spell that is in a leather bound journal that Red found and gave to me. That spell.”

Regina looked at her wide-eyed, but she said nothing in response. Instead, she grabbed the bottle of whiskey and poured herself another glass. She held the glass in her hands for a few moments, staring at the liquid before she swallowed it all. She sat the glass back on the table and stared across at Coraline again.

“So, Red, gave you my journals?”

“Yes, she did.”

“And, what about the rest of your family? Obviously, you should have another parent, friends, someone. Who else is there with you?”

“Red and Belle are my only family.”

“Only family?” Regina asked, getting frustrated and angry.

“Yes, the rest of my family died in the battles to save the Enchanted Forest.”

“And, that is why you are here?”

“Yes, to save everyone.”

“But, if I died as you say, how did I tell you to cast this spell?” Regina asked.

“My mother died one night in my fifth year. My elder brother Henry followed her and Grandpa to their deaths defending the castle. Snow sent Red to warn us of the coming armies. Red barely made it through. Emma died in the field. Snow was never found. Charming, Henry and you, with magic blazing went into the fray while you sent Belle and Red out with me thru the old catacombs and tunnels that you had dug during your Evil Queen days. We ran to Rumple’s. It was ‘neutral’ ground. We would be safe there. We waited as did the entire kingdom for their queens. When weeks turned into months, Red began to search for the bodies. None were ever found. We mourned the loss, but hid my lineage to protect me,” Coraline stated.

“That doesn’t explain—“

“I’m getting to that!”

Regina was taken aback by her anger. She didn’t understand it fully, but she could feel it. She could taste the anger in the air that came off of Coraline in waves.

“I believe I am near twenty-five now. I got into a fight with Red about finding the truth. They hid a lot of it from me to protect me from it, they thought. I fled the safety of Rumple’s castle and was capture outside the former White Palace in the Winterlands. How was I to know that even my worst nightmares wouldn’t even compare to the treatment that I would receive in the dungeons of my old home?”

“What happened?”

“The Black Queen had taken residence.”

Regina didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know who the Black Queen was but she could guess that this person wasn’t good. The venom and anger that Coraline used to describe the culprit were enough for Regina. She didn’t want to push the issue, but she wanted to know more.

“I take it that she wasn’t impressed with you.”

“I should say not. She did keep my prisoner for sixty days. I think that she was more upset that I resolved to die than to join her. She just couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t just give up.”

“She pushed you?”

“Every day was a trial with her. Beatings, starvation, torture, she tried it all. I didn’t break mentally, not even when she broke my legs. She tried the most devastating tortures she could think of and then at night would order the guards to make sure that I stayed wrapped up in the blanket,” Coraline stated.

“It is a rejuvenation blanket?”

“Yes, so every morning, I was ready for more of whatever she wanted to do to me.”

“Why was she so…accommodating with you?”

“Because I believe that I am your daughter. She hoped to turn me into her puppet. I didn’t exactly let her have her way. I guess that is why she got more and more violent as our time together progressed. She did seem to have a singular fascination with me.”

“I am sure, but you said that I told you to cast the spell,” Regina reminded her.

“You did,” Coraline answered her calmly.

“How could I do that if I was already dead?” Regina asked.

“There are a lot of things that I can’t explain to you.”

“And, why is that?”

Coraline reached over and downed her glass of whiskey. She reached across the table and poured herself some more and then downed it. She was about to pour herself another glassful when Regina gave her a disapproving look and cocked her eyebrow at her.

“Well?”

“Just because you don’t have all the answers and are my mother doesn’t mean that I am just going to tell you everything. Anything and everything that I do while I am here will affect my outcome and my life in the future. And, yes, I want to stop the Blackness, but I can’t stop certain things from happening. If I do, I won’t exist,” Coraline stated.

Regina bit her tongue. She didn’t know why but she believed the tale that Coraline was giving her. She wanted to press her for more information but she knew that Coraline would eventually break down and tell her. She didn’t want to use the tattoo to make her. If it had been any of her guards, she would have and she knew that her feelings about the young woman had begun to cloud her judgment.

“So, you’ve come back to save us, but you can’t tell us from what,” Regina stated.

“Yes.”

“Well, that sounds simple enough,” Regina replied sarcastically.

“I’m sorry. You have to understand how difficult this is for me. It was hard enough getting here and now that I am…” she started, sighed, and then continued, “It hurts.”

“It hurts?”

“Yes, it hurts me. I want to tell you both everything, but I can’t. I can’t stop myself from being born.”

“Tell us both?” Regina asked her.

“Yes, both of you.”

“You mean that your father is here? Now? And, you aren’t going to tell me who he is?”

“Something like that,” Coraline responded.

“Don’t you think that it would help in making sure that you born if you told me?”

“Free will...I can’t change that. You should know that, Regina. I can’t change your free will. You will have to find them on your own. I can’t push you towards them. If I do, it could change everything.”

“What if you were meant to push me towards them?”

“I have your journals. I know that I am not the one that pushed you into it. You’ll just have to trust me on this. I am sorry,” Coraline told her.

“You have my journals?”

“Some of them, yes. I have to say that I am not sure why everyone was afraid of you. I think that you have just been misunderstood. You do have a tendency to over react when you are hurt or slighted, but I think that came from your mother’s upbringing and tutelage. I get it. Trust me I do.”

“Well, thank you, Dear.”

“I am sorry. I know that it must be hard for you because I know more about you then you know about me. I wish there was something that I could do, but I just can’t tell you everything. I want to tell you,” Coraline explained.

“I understand. Of all the people in town, I think that you should know I understand. Whatever you tell me will not just affect your past, but my future. I would like to think that changing your past would be a good thing, but I understand that we will have to do it slowly and wait it out. Do you have some way of knowing what has changed? Is there any way for us to know that we are affecting it?”

“Yes, the journals.”

“The journals?” Regina asked, perplexed on how her journals could tell them about the future.

“Yes, the journals. I began to write in the last one. Red gave them to me. It seemed like I should keep up the tradition. I thought that if I studied your journals that they would lead me to some universal truth as to why you left with Belle and Red. I thought that I would understand why my mother abandoned me to go die on a battlefield. I still don’t understand it completely, but I am beginning to appreciate it the longer that I am here in Storybrooke.”

“You’re angry with me. I get that, but why? Can you tell me that?”

“No.”

“Well, that is going to make things difficult for us, now isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Will you try to let me make it better?”

“What’s the point? It isn’t going to change the fact that you left me. That isn’t going to change. I know that I shouldn’t be mad at you, but it is hard to separate the future you with the now you.”

“I don’t expect you to do that. Dear. At least just give me a chance to know you now, since I won’t be there for you later. I think that is fair. Don’t you?” Regina asked.

“No, I don’t.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I still don’t and won’t have you when I needed you the most.”

Regina’s heart broke. Her own daughter was in front of her as an adult and didn’t want to have a relationship with her. Suddenly, she was reminded of how Henry acted after he brought Emma to Storybrooke. Her mind lurched forward. She, now, understood how Snow felt when she found out that Emma was her daughter. How could she try and parent her adult daughter?

“I am sorry,” Regina replied, taking up the bottle of whiskey and pouring herself another drink.

“You’re sorry?”

“I can’t apologize for something I did to you? I don’t know why I would have left you. I can’t explain something to you that I haven’t done, yet, but I can tell you this. If I did send you off with Belle and Red, I knew that you would be safe with them. The wolf and the librarian are fiercely loyal and protective. I am sure that I knew you would be taken care of if I wasn’t to make it back. I probably didn’t think about the fact that I could die. Or, it might have been as simple as the fact that I was trying to get you to safety. I might have sacrificed myself to save you. There might not have been another option that I could foresee at the time. I don’t know, because it hasn’t happened to me, yet. Don’t be angry with me for something that I haven’t done yet. Maybe now that I know about it, maybe I don’t do it the same way. Maybe I stay with you,” Regina stated.

“No, you don’t.”

“How can you be sure?”‘

“Because my memory hasn’t changed about the events of that day and the days that follow.”

“Would they?” Regina asked.

Coraline found herself sobering at the thought. She didn't know. She had never time traveled. Hell, she didn't know anyone who had except her other mother, Emma. And, she couldn't tell Regina that.

"I don't know. I've never done this before. All I have is what the journals say," Coraline answered.

"Then I know who we should go see," Regina told her.

"Who?"

"Emma Swan, one of your other queens," Regina stated.

“Why?"

"If you've read my journals, you should know. She is the only person that I know that has successfully time traveled. She may be able to help you and by helping you with that aspect of the situation. It could help us work on our relationship. I don't want you to be angry with me. I want to know my daughter."

"I want to know you better too, Mom," Coraline admitted.

"Then give me a chance to help you. I understand your anger. I can feel it. But, let me help you, now. Let me be there for you, now. Maybe this whole crazy thing was meant to happen. The problem is that we don't know. Let me help you." Regina pleaded.

"I have to do this on my own, Regina. This is my problem, my fight. I have to do this my way."

"No, you don’t."

"What would you have me do, Regina? I can't tell you everything. We both agree on that much."

"Talk with Emma. Maybe she can help you. You can't change our past because if effects you. There has to be something that we can do together to help you. The fact that you came here and you say that I sent you means that I wanted to help you. I must have seen something in you that made me thing that I could help you. I know that you have been working with Blue to learn to control your magic better."

“You knew?"

"I’ve seen it. I understand why you would go to her, now. I am hurt, but I understand it. I would have done the same thing. Plus, you said that she was the one than found you when you came back. I would like to help you with it, but you need to give me the chance. I can help, but only if you let me."

"I'll think about it."

"I'll take that for now, Coraline, but please, give me the opportunity to have some sort of relationship with you. I am your mother. Please give me that little bit of courtesy," Regina stated.

"I will do my best, but I'm not promising anything.”

"I understand, Dear. That is all I am asking for. Just give me a chance. Please." Regina begged.

"When should I go see Emma?" Coraline asked, changing the subject back to matter at hand.

"We could go now, but I have a feeling they are all drunk. You were supposed to meet them there, remember? Besides, I doubt that she'll be very helpful tonight. How about we meet with her at my office tomorrow? You are still coming to see me so we can discuss the landscaping contract in the morning, right?" Regina questioned.

"I guess. I will need to call Holly in the morning to make sure that she can cover the store. I don't remember making an appointment with you. Did I?"

"Not officially, no. I was just thinking that we could finish our discussion in the morning. It is getting late and I know that you will need to sleep on some things. I am not trying to push you, Coraline, but I do think that you are the right person for the job. I've seen your work at The Games of Thorns. I know what you are capable of doing. I trust you with the town. That is saying a lot coming from me. I am sure that you are aware of that." Regina told her.

"I am."

"Will you at least consider it?"

"I will."

"I'll leave for the evening, then. I want to talk with you more, but I will leave that open for you. I...I don't know what to tell you, Coraline. I really don't. I can't even begin to imagine what you have gone through and what you are going through. I can only apologize and hope that you will give me a chance. I know that I came here to confront you; that I came at you and used the tattoo against you. I am sorry for that...now."

"Why did you do it?"

"Because when it comes to magic and this town, things tend to happen and I like to stay in the know about it. I don't like surprises when it comes to magic. When we get surprises, bad things tend to happen. I am sure that you read about my dealings in Neverland because of your brother," Regina said.

"Yes, I did."

"Magic is a sore spot for me. When I saw what you could do and I didn't know about it, I became angry and more or less panicked. I pushed you because I needed to know what you were here for. I knew just by the fact that you had magic that you weren't really Belle's sister. Nice accent though, you've managed to adopt that well. I wanted to know what you were about. I needed to make sure that you weren't going to hurt the town," Regina explained.

"I know. I don't fault you for that. I had hoped to keep that from you for a little while longer."

"Were you ever going to tell me who you really were?" Regina asked.

"I don't know."

Regina just nodded. She was hurt that her own daughter was hiding from her in plain sight. It didn't matter that she understood her reasoning. It still hurt. She stood up, preparing to leave, but she hoped that Coraline would either stop her and they could talk some more or she would actually agree to meet with Regina in the morning.

"I'll do what I can.”

"Thank you, Dear." Regina said.

"I'll see you tomorrow...Mom," Coraline replied and Regina smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

She angrily walked into the convent. Blue could see the pain on her face. She couldn't understand what would have her so upset, but she remembered that Regina was her mother. It wouldn't take much to anger Coraline if the right buttons were pushed.

"What’s wrong?" Blue asked her.

"Ugghh….”

"Well that is descriptive. What happened? It is a beautiful morning, Coraline. What could have you this upset, this early?" Blue questioned her again.

"Evidently, Regina followed me yesterday during some point. She saw me use magic and decided to confront me about it. I don't think I handled it very well."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I kinda blew up at her."

"Blew up at her…how?"

"Well she cornered me at Belle's old place, in my room there."

“And?”

"I wasn't prepared for her. I didn't think that she suspected me of anything. She accosted me because of the magic. She knew I wasn't Belle's sister because of it. She kept pushing to figure out who my parents were."

"What did you tell her?"

"Part of the truth," Coraline answered.

"And, what was that?"

"That she was my mother."

"What did she say to that?"

"Well, it wasn't quite that easy. We fought, verbally for a while, before I actually slipped up and called her 'Mom.' I think she was a little taken aback about it. I don't really know though. I passed out."

"You passed out? Are you okay? Did she do something to you?" Blue questioned.

"No, no, nothing like that. She actually picked me up and put me in the bed. She was actually very gentle after I said it. I was amazed. I know she can be a hard ass, but I didn't expect that. She was just so…docile."  
"None us ever do when she does," Blue slated.

Coraline sat down and stared at Blue. She knew their history was "colorful" to say the least. She was still amazed at how quickly Regina had calmed down as soon as she called her "Mom." It was like a switch flipped inside her. She had heard tales from Belle and Red about how she was with Henry, but to finally see it first hand was impressive.

"Has she always been so..."

"Harsh?" Blue finished for her.

"Yes," Coraline replied.

"You'd have to ask Snow about that. She is the only one who really knew her before everything happened. And, if you think Regina and I have an interesting past. It is nothing like theirs."

“I know."

"How much do you know?"

"I know enough from both sides. But, that isn't the problem at the moment. I had a long discussion with her last night. I don't know if it was good or bad. She seemed to be okay when she left but it was late. She could have just been tired. I just don't know. She wanted me to come by her office and talk with her about the landscaping contract. I know that meant that she just wanted me to talk to more about the spell that brought me here and about my life. I don't have time for that. I told her that. I can't tell her about the future. It will change things which might affect my birth."

"Did you tell her that?"

"Yes, I did."

"What did she say to that?" Blue asked.

"She asked who my father was. I let her know that I couldn’t tell her. I told her that I couldn't be reason they get together. It would alter too much. She seemed to back down, but she knows that it is someone here in Storybrooke. She just doesn't know who."

"I don't know what she going to do with that information. She might start looking for whoever it is. Are you ready for that?" Blue asked her.

"I know who my parents are. I know that Regina now knows that she is my mother. But, she going to be surprised when she learns who my other parent is. I don't know how she is going to take it. Besides, how can I tell her that now? She still thinks that she'll never get her happy ending."

"Aren’t you proof that she will?"

"Am I? She left me to be with her lover in death. How am I supposed to know if she was happy? The only thing that I really remember about her as my mother is her leaving me with Belle and Red. How can I build a relationship with her based on that? I am still so angry with her about that," Coraline stated.

"Maybe that is a good place to start," Blue suggested.

"What are you talking about?"

"Maybe you could have a relationship with your mother. This is your chance. Don't waste it. It is better late than never, right? Look at Snow and Emma. They started out as friends and then found out they were mother and daughter. It took a while but they have a family dynamic that Emma was looking for as a child and she couldn't be happier. You could have the same if you wanted," Blue said.

"You really don't understand, do you?"

“Understand what?"

"Emma is my other mother. Do you want to tell Regina that? Cause, I don't," Coraline replied.

She heard Blue gasp, and she knew what the information meant to her. Blue was a fairy godmother to the Charmings. It was one of the reasons that she was pulled towards Coraline and she couldn’t figure out why. It would also explain why Tink was, too. Since, she was Regina’s fairy godmother after a fashion. This new information explained so much to Blue that she was afraid to say anything.

“I didn’t think so. Now, do you understand why I was so damn vague about telling you anything? When Emma brought Marion back from the past she changed her parents and Regina’s future, the outcomes couldn’t be seen. Needless to say, the Savior and the Evil Queen became a little more than friends. I am the product of the union and even you can’t contest it.”

“I know,” Blue said finally understanding so much.

“You know?”

“Yes, because for you to be the result of such a union even in the Enchanted Forest would mean that you are the product of True Love and as such, I can’t question the union.”

“You are still willing to help me?”

“I believe even more so, now,” Blue stated.

“Why is that?”

“Because it seems that your mother’s happy ending is in Emma. I wouldn’t deny Emma her happiness. I must say this much though: Snow is not going to like this,” Blue said.

“I know. Trust me. It takes time for them to come around.”

“Will you tell me your real name, now?” 

“The name that my mothers gave me. Yes, I guess it wouldn’t hurt now. They named me Remy Aurora Swan, Princess of the Winterlands and Summerlands, heir to the throne of the Winterlands, sister to Prince Henry Mills-Swan, Black Prince of the Summerlands.”

“Black Prince?”

“He was given the title when he became a knight under Charming. He was named the heir apparent to Snow and Charming’s half of the kingdom upon my birth. He was happy to know that he would be co-ruling with his baby sister.”

“They loved you,” Blue stated.

“They did.”

“You loved them.”

“I still do.”

“But, yet, you still punish your mother for giving you your best chance at a life.”

“She left me for Emma. How can I not? Wouldn’t you be mad?”

“It was True Love. They couldn’t fight it. And, I believe that even Regina knew what would have happened if she’d stayed. I think you know it, too, if you look inside yourself deep enough. You told me that you knew the stories about us before Storybrooke. Surely, you’ve heard the stories about your mother,” Blue stated.

“I did.”

“Then you know that she would have become so dark that no one could have brought her back.”

“I do.”

“Then, why this anger towards her?”

“Because, even in sacrificing herself…she still became the Black Queen.”

 

Regina sat in her office sipping on her coffee from Granny’s. It had been a long night and she was still reeling from the knowledge that her own daughter…from the future…was across town. She didn’t understand her anger, but she had been angry at her mother when she was young.

“You left me for your lover,” Regina mussed out loud.

“I’m sorry, Madame Mayor?” her assistant asked.

“Nothing, Gwen. Who do I have scheduled to see today? And, please tell me that there isn’t a council meeting this week. I might have to move it if there is,” Regina stated.

“No, ma’am, it is next week. It seems that you have an appointment with Mother Superior about the upcoming festival and how the fairies are going to prepare for it. And, you had a late morning appointment with Coraline French about the landscaping project. She called in this morning to let you know that she agreed to the new meeting time.”

“She did?”

“Yes, ma’am, she did.”

Regina nodded her head. Out done by her own daughter, she thought, well played. She stared at her desk for a moment and then the clock. Her assistant caught the movement of her eyes and waited to be dismissed.

“Is there anything else?”

“Yes, Madam Mayor.”

“Well?”

“It seems that Sheriff Swan would like to discuss a matter with you concerning the sheriff’s department. She didn’t let me know what it was about, just that she would like to speak with you, whenever it was convenient for you. She said she could come here or you could meet her at the station. Would you like me to call her back to schedule something with her?”

“No, that won’t be necessary.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Gwen, I am going to be out the office for most of the day. Please forward anything else to my cell. Oh, and if Miss French decides to call back. Tell her, I’ll just meet her at the store.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Gwen answered and took her leave.

Regina stood up from her desk. She paced her office. She ran her hands down her customary black Gucci power suit. She had traded her black vest for a red one today. She was finding color important again. What was it about Coraline that made her want to look for happiness beyond Henry and Storybrooke, again? Was she the promise of better things to come?

Regina’s mind reeled. Her daughter came back to get help for some unspeakable curse from her future. Regina was dead. The idiots were dead. Henry was gone. Only Belle and Red survived. They were the ones that raised her daughter. She wanted to help Coraline. She needed to help Coraline. She wasn’t there for her when she was younger. She had to make her understand that she was here for her now. She was going to help her, no matter what the cost. She was going to save her daughter.

She grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair and her briefcase of the desk. She left her office without a word to Gwen as she left City Hall. She had an idea where she had gone. She would talk to her there. She was half way to her car when Sheriff Swan pulled up in her cruiser.

“Get in!” Emma yelled at her.

“Why?”

“There has been an accident in the woods near the convent. Blue called and said that she needed your help. She wouldn’t tell me anything else. So, come on, let’s go.”

“An accident…” Regina replied, paling and numbly stepping towards the cruiser.

“Regina?”

“Just drive, Miss Swan,” Regina replied, willing the tears to stay hidden.

Regina knew that the only reason that Blue would call her to come out there was because of Coraline. She knew that Coraline trusted Blue more than she trusted her own mother. Blue would have been the first person that she wanted to see as soon as she woke up in the morning. Regina would have done the same thing if she was in Coraline’s shoes. 

She had to make herself believe that Coraline was okay. She couldn’t falter in front of them. She had to maintain her composer. They didn’t know Coraline’s secret, which was now hers as well. She knew what most of the town would think about Coraline when they found out that she was Regina’s daughter and she had been hiding as Belle’s younger sister. They would think that they were up to something. She knew that look that Emma was going to give her. She knew the look that Henry was going to give her. The town would want blood because they would see it as some sort of plan to do something to the town. She couldn’t blame them, but this time, it really wasn’t her fault.

“Hey, Regina…Regina! REGINA!”

“What?”

“You want to tell me what’s going on?” Emma asked, as she continued to floor it towards the convent, her eyes on the road.

“I don’t know.”

“Why would Blue send me to get you?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re lying, Regina. You know that I can always tell when you are lying. What’s up?”

“I really don’t know.”

“That is the answer you are going to stick with?”

“I can’t tell you because I am not there,” Regina stated, angrily.

“But, you have a guess?”

“Yes.”

“Well?”

“It is none of your concern, Miss Swan. I’ll deal with it. Don’t worry about it.”

“Too late for that.”

“I promise you, Sheriff Swan. Whatever it is, it doesn’t concern you. Thank you for the ride. I am sure that Blue will let you know what she needs to when we get there.”

Emma started to say something else, but they were pulling up to the convent. Regina was out of the car and up the stairs of the convent before Emma could stop her. She saw her stop in front of Blue. Blue shook her head at Regina.

“Where is she?” Regina asked.

“She is in the Cloisters. Tink is with her. I thought you would like to know,” Blue told her, giving her a directional with a nod of her head.

Regina smiled and took off in that direction. Emma watched the interaction and wondered what the Hell she just missed. She calmly walked up to Blue, who had a slight grin on her face.

“Wanna tell me what’s going on, Mother Superior?”

“One of my charges got hurt.”

“And, that concerned Regina?” Emma questioned.

“It did.”

“Is anyone going to tell me what the Hell is going on?”

“I am afraid that my vows won’t allow it.”

“Your vows?” Emma asked, skeptically.

“Unfortunately for all of us fairies, we still abide by the rules of the convent as well as our fairy law. If I take confession from someone, I cannot divulge the information. I do believe that it is considered sacred outside the town lines, as well, Emma. It is the same for us here. We don’t take our vows any less serious than we did while we were cursed. It does make for some interesting situations, however,” Blue explained.

“Like today?”

“Yes, like today.”

“You called me and told me to get Regina because there was an accident. You don’t tell me what it is, but she is visibly shaken. Can I at least check on the patient? Is that permitted? Maybe they will tell me what is going on with everyone today?” Emma asked.

“I will ask if they wish to see you. That is the best that I can do. You can follow me back to the Cloisters. If they’ll see you, it will be their story to tell, Sheriff, not mine. I cannot promise that they will want to see you though. It has been a…rough morning for them.”

“Will you at least tell me who it is?”

“Not right now,” Blue stated as she turned to enter the convent.

Blue walked them down a series of corridors and had Emma stop outside a secluded set of the nuns’ apartments. She bade Emma to sit down as she knocked on the unmarked door. She waited for a moment before she entered. Emma just sat on the well-worn wooden bench and waited. She hoped that she would be allowed entrance.

 

“What do mean she asked for it? Why the Hell would she do that? She obviously wasn’t thinking clearly. Surely, you could see that, Tink. Why would you feel the need to conjure her a dragon to fight? Ever think that maybe she has a death wish!” Regina yelled.

She didn’t notice that Blue had entered the room. Tink was hovering on the far side of the bed and away from Regina’s grasp. Regina’s entire body was ridged in anger. Blue placed a hand on Regina’s arm and Regina turned sharply to look upon her face as if her hand burned her skin.

“Calm down, Regina. The important part of this is that she is okay. Tink brought her back here so we could heal her. There is no need to be angry with Green,” Blue told her.  
“Oh, I have every right to be angry with her.”

“I know that you do. I don’t understand the dynamic between the three of you, but I do know that she didn’t mean any harm but helping Coraline in her time of need. She gave her something to work her anger off on. Now, was the dragon a good choice, probably not, but Coraline still defeated the monster. Everyone is safe.”

“She doesn’t look safe lying there.”

“She is fine. She is healing. We are looking after her. I am not going to let anything befall her if I can help it. You should know that,” Blue stated.

“Why you?”

“You…will have to wait to find out about that. It is for Coraline to tell you. But, Tink is her fairy. She was doing as I asked. Do not be angry with her. When she realized how bad her injuries were, she brought her straight here.”

“And, this room?” Regina asked.

“Was your daughter’s room for months before she went out into the town as Belle’s sister,” Blue stated, not realizing that Emma had gotten tired of waiting and had come in the room unannounced because of Regina’s angry yelling.

Tink looked up in time to catch Emma’s green eyes studying them all. She gave Blue a look who immediately turned around finding Emma behind her. Regina caught the sudden movement and turned, too. Blue reached out and grabbed Emma’s arm to keep her from leaving.

“She’s…she’s…”

“Emma, sit down,” Blue commanded.

Emma sat on the small chair that was in the room. She looked up into Regina’s eyes and waited for some sort of explanation. When Regina turned from her, her heart went out to Regina, but she still wanted answers.

“Someone going to tell me what’s going on, now?” Emma asked.

“Ma?” Coraline asked quietly.

Blue and Tink both turned to the injured woman. Blue noticed that Tink finally understood why Blue was drawn to her as well as soon as Emma was in the room. Henry called Emma “Ma,” too. Tink looked up into Blue’s eyes and saw the confirmation and the warning behind the knowledge. Tink just nodded silently as she took Coraline’s hand.

“I’m right here,” Regina stated as she slowly sank her weight on the bed and took up the other hand in hers.

Emma watched how her entire face changed. She had only seen Regina look like that when she was looking at Henry. She cocked her head and wanted ask a lot of questions to the three women in the room, but she said nothing.

Regina brushed the dark brown locks from Coraline’s face. She leaned down and kissed her forehead, never letting go of her hand. When she felt her finally relax, Regina decided to check her out herself. She didn’t care that Emma was in the room. She was more worried about her daughter who was laying there injured. The world could have disappeared around her and Regina wouldn’t have noticed.

Emma watched her. She took in every movement, every breath, every subtle unspoken gesture between them. She would have admitted to herself that she was jealous if she wasn’t still amazed that the woman in the bed was supposedly Regina’s daughter. Her mind and her heart were at war. She didn’t know what to do.

“Has Belle been called?” Emma finally asked.

Blue and Tink turned to face her. Their faces were in pure shock. Regina didn’t even turn to acknowledge the question. Instead, she squeezed Coraline’s hand a little tighter.

“The Librarian can’t help her,” she told Emma.

“And, you can?” Emma asked.

“Yes, I can. I will. I am.”

“Don’t you think that Belle deserves to know that her sister is hurt?”

The question made Regina turn around to face Emma. She slowly stood up from the bed, letting Coraline’s hand go. She saw Coraline stir enough to reach out for Regina, begging her to not leave her there. Emma watched the scene unfold before, not realizing that Regina was closing in on her. She just watched the young woman in bed and saw her open her eyes. 

Emma would have gasped at the sight of bright green eyes instead dark brown as she was used to Coraline having had Regina not been on her in that instant. Emma slowly swallowed. She looked into Regina’s face and for the first time in a very long time was actually scared of what Regina was capable of doing. She was aware that she was about to say something stupid and shut her mouth.

“Sheriff Swan, a word?” Regina demanded as she pulled her back into the hallway.

“Sure,” Emma answered as she was drug out of the room.

“What the Hell do you think you are doing?”

“I am doing my job. Blue called in an incident. I need to take the report so I can file it at the end of the month with the mayor. I am sure that you know that she is a stickler for paperwork being done correctly and on time. What do you think that I doing?”

“Why do we need to worry the Librarian about any of this?” Regina asked.

“She is Coraline’s sister,” Emma stated.

Regina just eyed her. Emma cocked her head, waiting for Regina to tell her something. When nothing came, Emma looked at the Mayor. She was obviously upset by what was happening but she didn’t have a realistic reason to be. Then, Emma shrugged it off, remembering that this was Storybrooke and not Boston or New York. Reasonable went out the window when she crossed the town line and she knew it. She just didn’t understand why Regina was being so damn problematic about the situation.

“You need to tell me something or I’m calling Belle to come down here,” Emma told her.

“She wouldn’t know what to do.”

“And, you do?”

“Yes, I do.”

“And, I guess that is why she isn’t in Whale’s care,” Emma said.

“I wouldn’t let him touch her. He can’t fix her. The burns that you saw are magical. They cannot be healed any medicine. It was one of the reasons that Blue called for me.”

“And, the other?” Emma asked.

“What other?”

“What was the other reason, Regina? Do you think that I am that stupid? Come on. You know I heard what she said in there. I know what you said. Do you want to explain it to me? Or, do you want to explain it to Belle? Cause either way, she needs to know what the Hell that was about,” Emma stated.

“She wouldn’t understand. It obvious that you won’t either. Thank you for the ride, Sheriff Swan, but I am sure that you are needed elsewhere. I will take care of things here and file a report with you by the morning. That should appease the Mayor, don’t you think?”

“Regina…I am not leaving here until you tell me who she is. Make me understand all of this and I won’t tell Belle right now. I need a reason and a viable one. Can you give me that?”

“I don’t know.”

“Will you at least try?” Emma asked her.

Before Regina could answer, the door to Coraline’s room opened. Tink was standing there. She waited for a break in their conversation before she spoke up.

“She is asking for you.”

They both turned to face Tink. She eyed them both. Then she realized that they didn’t know what she meant by her statement.

“She wants both of you,” Tink told them.

Regina was the first one back in the room. She took up her spot back on the edge of the bed, holding Coraline’s hand. She reached out to brush her hair out of her face, again, when she saw Emma sit down on the other side of the bed. Regina looked up into Emma’s eyes, viridian meeting coffee brown. Regina felt Tink and Blue leave them, but Emma saw them leave.

“Coraline?” Emma asked.

“Coraline, Emma and I are here. What is it that you need, Dear? Just name it.”

“Don’t…don’t…fight.”

They both looked at each other. Coraline was in obvious pain but she seemed to me more worried about them fighting. They nodded at each other and for the moment, they would let their differences wait while they tended to the woman in the bed.

“Emma…”

“I’m here Coraline.”

“Please…”

“Please what?”

“Don’t…don’t…please…”

“Don’t what?” Emma asked.

“Tell…”

“Tell what?”

“Mom?”

“I’m here, Coraline,” Regina replied.

“Don’t…”

“I won’t, Dear. I promise. I won’t let her tell Belle, yet.”

“Thank…you,” Coraline replied.

Regina watched as her daughter drifted off due the pain. She knew that it would safer for her to sleep while she healed her than to be awake during the painful process. She held her hand and turned to look back at Emma.

“Why would you promise her that?” Emma asked.

“Because she was trying to ask you not to tell her. I understood what she was trying to say. Forgive me for giving her peace of mind. She is pain, Emma. Do you want to be the one that hurts her further? I don’t. I am not going to tell Belle that she isn’t really her sister. It would break both of their hearts. Plus, it would make things difficult for both Coraline and myself if you did. Do you think that the town is still so forgiving? I will always be the Evil Queen.”

“But, here, you aren’t her. You are just Regina. You have proven that time and time again.”

“That won’t matter when they find out who she is really,” Regina stated, “And, you know that is true. You can’t tell me otherwise. Why do you think that she has been hiding who she was? Do you think that is easy for her? I assure you that it isn’t.”

“How long have you known?”

“How long have I known what?”

“That she was your daughter,” Emma stated.

“Less than a day,” Regina answered.

“Really?”

“Do you doubt me?”

“No, I believe you. I know when you are lying to me. You haven’t lied to me today. You may not have told me everything, but you didn’t outright lie about anything. Why can’t we tell Belle that she is hurt? I don’t see the harm in that,” Emma stated.

“She has magic.”

“Excuse me?”

“Coraline has magic. If you tell Belle, she’ll tell Rumple. Rumple might not be as nice as I was when he finds out. He will try to use her against me. He might even hurt her. I just don’t know. She was safer when I didn’t know, but now I do. I can’t take that back. This is all my fault.”

“What is your fault?”

“She wouldn’t have been injured by that dragon if hadn’t been for me,” Regina told her.

Emma cocked her head and then asked, “Dragon?”

Regina turned towards Coraline. She waited before answering. She didn’t know how much of Coraline’s tale she should tell Emma. She wondered if she could actually trust Emma enough to let her in on the secret. She figured that she should, because if she didn’t, Emma would test the tattoo when Coraline finally came to. She had done it. It was the inevitable. The only three people in town that could summon Coraline and make her bend to their will were Snow, Regina and Emma. She wondered what Emma would do with that knowledge.

“Regina?”

“She is my daughter.”

“I heard that much.”

“She is from the future. Her story is somewhat similar to yours. She came back to stop her future. She hid because she feared that if everyone knew who she was it could completely change the future and she might not be born. She didn’t want to worry us all, as well.”

“She’s from the future?”

“Yes, something that you would know about. You went back. You changed your parents’ story. She is afraid that she might do the same thing.”

“She’s from the future?”

“Yes, Sheriff Swan, she is. Can we move on from that? Or, are you still hung up on that?”

“She is from the future? And, she came here, now, to stop her future from happening? And to top it all off, she is your daughter?”

“Yes, remarkable. It is actually that simple. Is there anything else I can answer for you?”

“If you’re her mother, then who is her father?”

“She hasn’t told me.”

“What exactly has she told you?”

“That somehow in a few years, we all end back in the Enchanted Forest. She seems to be one of the few survivors of some curse that happens when she turns five years old. All I know from what she told me is that Belle and Red end up raising her in Rumple’s castle because it was the only protected place there. I don’t know the specifics, but from the pain and fear on her face, it seems to have been horrific.”

“So, what are we going to do?”

“I am trying to figure out what sends us all back.”

“That is all you have to tell me?”

“What more do you want, Sheriff?”

“Why does she have all the tattoos?”

“I am not exactly sure. I haven’t had a chance to translate them all. They are not all in the languages of the Forest. They are in the language of the mages and historians. She told me she was my daughter and then pushed me away. I haven’t really had a chance to speak with her.”

“Why?”

“Because, I wasn’t there for her.”

“She is angry with you?”

“Wouldn’t you be?”

“For what?”

Regina just eyed her. Her eyes got misty. She couldn’t believe that she was about to tell Emma what Coraline had told her. She hoped that it would all be a bad dream and she would be able to stop herself from leaving her alone. She knew though however that Emma was the only one who would understand where they were both coming from in this situation.

“It seems that I left her because I rushed out into battle to follow my True Love into death.”

“That is what she told you?”

“Yes, it is.”

“I like her.”

“You like her because of that.”

“No, I like her because she knew how to push you. She knew what it would do to you and she also knew that the truth would probably hurt you more. What else did she say?”

“She is angry with me for not staying with her. I followed my True Love, knowing that I would die. She said that even Charming and Henry gave her good-byes as they followed her back on to the battlefield. Red and Belle escaped with her as a toddler as Henry, Charming and I defended the castle. I can’t believe that I would just abandon her like that,”   
Regina replied.

“I can.”

“What?!?”

“True Love makes people do crazy things. Look at my parents. They put me in a wardrobe to save everyone. I didn’t even know who my parents were for twenty-eight years. I kinda understand where she is coming from. But, then, I understand your side. You pushed her away with Belle and Red because you knew they would protect her. You gave them enough cover to protect them while they got away.”

“I know that would be what I would do.”

“Then, you have nothing to ashamed of. It is odd that she won’t tell her you who her father is, though. I would think that she would want a relationship with you both. I mean, if I would have sought a relationship with Snow and David back in the Forest if I wasn’t so damn worried about coming back here to Henry, and if you weren’t after me.”

“Sorry about that,” Regina said, sarcastically.

“No worries, but it did give me a new appreciation for your suits and dress style. I must say that you command a room in whatever you wear no matter what realm. I am sure that had something to do with your mother’s rearing, but it doesn’t matter now.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Regina replied.

“We should need to move her.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know. But, if we don’t come up with something plausible, then Belle is going to begin to question where she is. I understand that we can’t tell Belle, yet, but if we don’t get her to the hospital and make it seem like a legit accident, people are going to question things.”

“You can’t tell your parents,” Regina stated.

“Tell them what?”

“About Coraline.”

“Why not?”

“Those idiots can’t keep a secret. I just need time. If I can figure out more about the curse or whatever that sends us back, then maybe I can stop it. If we stop it, then the identity that attacked our future in the Enchanted Forest can’t hurt any of us and she’ll be safe with her parents.”

“That is what you want to happen?”

“Of course, don’t you? Wouldn’t you? Would you want to send her back to the future that wasn’t bleak and destroyed? I know that I wouldn’t.”

“No, but I don’t know how long we are going to be able to keep this a secret.”

“I understand that,” Regina said. “I just need some time. I need to figure something out.”

“What about Henry?”

“What about Henry?”

“Are you going to tell him about his baby sister?” Emma asked her.

Regina’s head snapped up at her. She hadn’t even thought about what Henry would do when he found out that he had a baby sister. How would he react to the news? Would he be happy? Would it matter that she was older than him here and she had magic?

“I think that we should tell him together,” Regina stated.

“You want me to help you tell him that his baby sister is here, now?”

“How else is he going to believe that one of his mom’s friends is really his baby sister? We both know if I tell him that, he is going to go straight to you for confirmation. It would be best coming from us both. I think that we can wait on telling him for now. I don’t want to push her into disclosing who she really is until she is ready,” Regina replied.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. But, how are we going to keep this a secret? I mean, Tink said she fought a dragon. Don’t you think we should tell them about that, at least?”

“It wasn’t a real dragon.”

“What does that mean?”

“Coraline was angry and wanted to take it out on something. She came to Tink and asked her to conjure her a dragon. That way she could fight the dragon and get over her anger.”

“So, anger runs in the family. That’s good to know. At least, she has found a healthy way of dealing with it and not taking it out on others,” Emma stated.

“You are pushing it, Emma. I know that my anger and rage cursed an entire realm and caused countless deaths. Do you think that I am happy about it? I am just as amazed as you are that I have daughter. It must mean that I have done something right. She is proof that I will find my happy ending, finally. It might even be in front of me right now, right here, I don’t even know it. I am not going to give up on that. I have tried to change. I am trying to be better person.”

“I know that. I also know that Henry wants you to find love and be happy. We all do. I do, too. It is my fault that you don’t have Robin anymore. I screwed that up. I’ve admitted that.”

“I…haven’t forgotten, but she has let me know that my True Love is here in Storybrooke. I will find my happiness. I got Henry back. I came back here. You brought him back to me. My true Love is here, somewhere, and I am just going to have to hope that we will still get together and have this beautiful child together. Is that too much to ask?”

“Never. It will never be. I promise. I will help you find it, if I can.” Emma told her.


	5. Chapter 5

“What do you mean she is gone?” Regina asked.

“We went to check on her this morning and she was gone.”

“When did she leave?” Emma asked.

“We don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? How can you not know? What kind of establishment are you running here, Blue?” Regina questioned with every ounce of venom and anger she could.

“Easy, Regina,” Emma warned.

“How do you lose a grown but injured woman?” Regina asked.

“Regina, calm down. I’ll find her. It’s what I do, remember?”

“Find her, Emma.” Regina pleaded, breaking a little.

Emma turned to the Mayor unprepared for the pain in her voice. She stared into Regina’s dark brown eyes and her heart sank. She knew why Regina was concerned. She wasn’t prepared for the flashes of emotion from her. She could handle cold and calculating Regina, but this Regina was new to her. She had only seen her in Neverland briefly. Emma knew that she wanted to help, but she also knew that missing persons cases were nasty and a bitch.

“Now, Blue, Tink, when was the last time someone saw her?” Emma asked the two fairies.

“I checked on her before I went to bed. I think that was around midnight. I was enjoying the night air, so I am not so sure about the time. I know it was late,” Tink told them.

“Okay, what about you, Blue?”

“I checked on her before lights out at ten. She was in bed resting. I didn’t wake her to see if she needed anything, though. I figured she would just want to rest.”

“That is understandable,” Emma replied.

Regina was pacing. Emma could see the concern on her face and she understood it. Coraline was missing. She was gone. If she left, she had around a ten hour head start on them. Emma made a mental note to check to see if her car was still outside like it had been yesterday. She was trying to make a mental checklist of things that she needed before Regina actually could declare her missing.

“We should talk with Belle,” Emma stated, “Thank you for calling us, ladies. If she does come back, please call me. And, have her call me, too. I have some more questions for her.”

Regina just eyed Emma. She couldn’t believe that she was being so calm about the entire incident. She glared at her harder, but Emma just smiled at the fairies before grabbing her by the shoulder and leading her out of the convent. Regina seethed. She began to think that Emma didn’t care about her daughter, because she was posing as Belle’s sister. She wondered what the Sheriff actually thought about Coraline, now that she knew who she really was.

“Don’t start that line of thought, Regina,” Emma told her feeling Regina’s body tensing beneath her hands as she escorted her out.

“What line of thought, Sheriff Swan?”

“I care what happens to her. Just because she might not actually be Belle’s little sister, doesn’t mean she isn’t still my friend. I am worried about her, but I need to keep calm so I can do my job. Unfortunately, these things take time,” Emma told her.

“I want to help. She is my daughter and she is hurt. What can I do?” Regina asked, calming slightly.

“Okay, now that you are slightly calmer. I need to ask you some questions. I know that you’ve only known that she was your daughter for a few days, but I still need the truth. It is the only way that you can help me, right this second.”

“I will tell you anything I know,” Regina answered.

“I assume that you have talked with her in length about why she is here. It doesn’t matter right now, but you have to agree with me, that this might be related. Where would she go? Would she run?” Emma asked her.

“I don’t know.”

Regina hung her head. She realized that she really didn’t know who her daughter was. She wanted to know her. She knew that she already loved her, but that it was an inherent love, not from knowing her. It was similar to the way the she loved Henry, but…different. 

“I believe you,” Emma told her.

Emma could see the anguish on Regina’s face. She hoped that she could save her the pain, but she needed to know everything that she could about Coraline, if she was going to find her. She could understand how she fell about finding out about Coraline. Emma had felt the same way when Henry had shown up on her door step, years ago. She would give her space, but she would push her, knowing that it would help them both deal with the situation. If Regina needed someone to be angry with, Emma would let herself be the target. She could take it and Regina knew it. It was a kindness that the town never could fully understand.

“From what she told you, do you have guess?” Emma asked.

“Not really. I didn’t want to push her too hard once I knew she was mine.”

“I wish my mother had your tact,” Emma stated, quietly.

Regina turned sharply and looked into her green eyes. They were softer than she could remember ever seeing them. Regina may not have understood the sentiment behind the statement, but she saw the emotion and understood it. There had always been a part of her that understood Emma, and now, it was even more frightening and obvious to Regina.  
Regina followed her blindly to the cruiser and got in. She watched as Emma’s eyes scanned the parking lot. She saw Emma’s eyes drop as she smacked the steering wheel, cursing softly under her breath. She was surprised to see Emma turn and look at her. Her green eyes were burning into her soul, and she wasn’t sure she liked the feelings that it was making surface inside.

“What?”

“She ran,” Emma stated.

“How do you…”

“Her car is gone.”

“What?” Regina questioned as she scanned the parking lot, now, too.

“I can put an APB out for it, but it won’t do us any good.”

“Why not?”

“She hasn’t done anything wrong,” Emma said, flatly.

“What does that mean?”

“I can’t really file for an A.B.P. on her. She isn’t wanted. She hasn’t broken the law. She is just missing and as much as I know that is hurting you right now, I can’t do anything about it for another twenty hours or so,” Emma stated softly, trying to lessen the blow.

“I see,” Regina replied her pain evident.

Emma drove them back to the station. She would try to see if anything popped up on Coraline’s car, but other than that, she couldn’t do anything for a while. She knew that she needed to tell Belle that she was missing, too, but she didn’t know how. She turned to Regina to try to talk to her, but she was staring out the windows watching the trees pass as they drove.

Emma couldn’t imagine fully what Regina was going through. She ached for the woman, but she also understood where Coraline was coming from by hiding her identity. She could only hope that she was alright. Somewhere inside, Emma wanted to help the young woman find whatever it was that she was searching for. She had a feeling just from their brief encounter, that she was searching for more than a way to stop the curse from her time. She recognized the pain and suffering in Coraline’s eyes. She had it herself. She knew that Coraline was an orphan, too. She knew what that meant for her emotionally.

She knew, but she still hoped that since Ruby and Belle were the ones that raised her she wouldn’t be so lonely. Emma knew that she was lonely. She saw it in the hollowness of her chocolate brown eyes, eyes that reminded her of her Regina now.

Emma stopped and began to think about that. Coraline had begun to remind her of not only herself but Regina even more, now that she knew. She wondered if Regina had the same thoughts. She was wondering a lot about Regina at the moment. She stopped and thought about that more.

Ever since yesterday, she felt a pull to be nearer Regina. She couldn’t explain it, nor did she care to. She knew that they were both broken pasts and maybe that is why they riled each other so easily. But, they had fallen into an easy friendship. Emma had to admit that she cared for the woman. It wasn’t just because they shared Henry. There was more to it, but Emma couldn’t quite put a name to it, yet.

Regina retreated into herself. She almost lost Henry to Emma and her dark side. Then, her daughter from the future comes to tell her that she died fighting the darkness, so her daughter was alone. She couldn’t hide the tears anymore. She tried. She was breaking. She swore to herself that if she ever had children that she wouldn’t abandon them. She wouldn’t be her mother. She would give them love. But, the venom that Coraline has used against her told that she hadn’t kept her promise. And, it hurt.

Emma looked at her. She could see the steady stream of tears. She wanted to stop them.

“We’ll find her, Regina. I promise. I’ll find her, even I have to leave town to do it,” Emma told her, but she couldn’t tell if it was to reassure the woman beside her or herself that she could.

“Thank you,” Regina replied.

“Regina, I’ll find her.” Emma stated again, trying to reinforce the idea in Regina’s mind.

“I have no doubt in that, Sheriff Swan.”

Crap, Emma thought to herself. Regina was breaking down. She was retreating. She was cracking and Emma couldn’t stop it. She didn’t know who could but Coraline at the moment. She was a desperate woman for her child and her child was missing. Emma could only hope that she found her quickly. She was worried about Regina, but she needed to talk to Belle, now. It wouldn’t be fair not to tell Belle that Coraline was missing, not matter how hard the conversation was going to be. She deserved to know and Emma was going to be the one to tell her. She could only hope that Belle took it better than Regina did.

“Will you go with me to Granny’s?”

“You’re hungry?”

“No, I wanted to tell Belle there. I figured it would be better surrounded by friends. I was going to call Snow and Red and have them meet us there,” Emma told her.

“Must we?”

“She thinks the Coraline is her sister. We owe her. If nothing, you owe her for raising your daughter for you. There may be a reason that Coraline came here besides finding the way to defeat the darkness. She made it sound like you and Belle were friends. This might help foster that relationship. Please Regina. I am doing everything that I know how to do to help. You are going to have to do some things that aren’t pleasant. I know that you are hurting, but Regina, we need to do this,” Emma stated.

Regina nodded in response. She didn’t know what else to do. She felt helpless. She knew it was Coraline’s secret to tell, but she couldn’t help but want everyone to know. She didn’t think now was the right time to bring it up and she knew that Emma had the same thought. She turned and studied the blonde.

She could see the weight of the problem in her shoulders. Emma didn’t know what to do, either. She had become privy to Coraline’s secret and she was going to keep it as long as she could. Her eyes betrayed her worry to Regina and she was grateful for Emma being there. She didn’t know that she could have handled the situation if she had been in alone in finding out.

“Regina, I’m sorry,” Emma said as they entered the diner.

Ruby looked up from the counter as they took the big booth in the corner. She knitted her eyebrows in question but didn’t ask what was wrong. She silently poured a cup of black coffee and got a mug of hot chocolate. She added the whipped cream and cinnamon and then walked over to the table and set the cups down. She backed up and waited. When neither woman spoke, she sniffed them.

“What is going on?” she asked as she could smell the emotions coming off of them.

“Can you call Belle and have her come here?” Emma asked in response.

“Emma…”

“Ruby, just call Belle and ask her to come here,” Emma replied with finality.

Ruby was accustomed to Emma being stern with her. She looked at Regina and could see the pain in her guarded eyes. She understood the darkness inside the former Evil Queen. Their friendship had been uneasy, but she held Regina in esteem for everything that she had done not only for Henry and Emma, but for herself and her wolf’s side. Ruby just stared at them as she reached into her waitress’s apron and grabbed her cell. She made the call and closed the phone.

“Do you want anything else?”

“You need to take a break when Belle gets here, Miss Lucas,” Regina told her.

“Right. I’ll just let Granny know. I’ll be right back,” Ruby said leaving them.

“Have you called your mother?” Regina asked.

“Not yet.”

“You don’t know what to tell her.”

“No, I don’t. She is going to ask so many questions and I don’t have the answers. I don’t know what to tell them. I don’t know how much of the truth needs to be said.”

“I understand.”

“Do you?”

“Yes, I do.”

“I want to tell them everything.”

“Then we tell them.”

“You would break Coraline’s confidence?”

“Don’t you think that they need to know?” Regina asked.

“I meant about her being your…”

“I understand that. I’ll call your mother. I don’t know that this is going to be easy for anyone. I don’t know how much to tell anyone. I…” Regina started. “I just want her back safe.”

Emma watched as she dug into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She saw her push a few buttons, which she assumed were speed dial, and then hold the phone to her ear. Emma tried to comfort Regina with her eyes. She didn’t know what else to do.

“Snow?...I need you to come to Granny’s…I understand that, Miss Blanchard. It is an emergency…No…No…Henry and Emma are fine. I promise. I…Can you just please come?...I know what time of day it is. Find someone to cover your class then. You are needed…I’m giving you ten minutes and then I’m sending Emma to get you…It isn’t a request, Snow…I don’t care…Just get here…No…Hold on, then,” Regina said into the phone before she handed it to Emma and explained, “She doesn’t believe that you are okay.”

“Hi, Snow…Mom, please just come to Granny’s. I understand what time it is. No, don’t bring Henry…Leave him in class…I promise that we will explain this all to you when you get here.”

Emma closed the phone and handed it back to Regina. She dropped the phone into her purse without much fanfare as Belle came into the diner. She looked at Ruby, who pointed to Emma and Regina. Belle cocked her head in question but understood that she was to sit with them.

Belle crossed the diner. Emma watched as she came over to the table in her royal blue dress. She was happy and Emma was about to crush her world. Suddenly, Emma felt the bile rising in her throat as Belle blocked her into the booth from the other side. She looked at Regina with pleading eyes and Regina let her out. She ran to the bathroom with as much grace as she could, tripping over chairs and tables. It was enough for Belle to question what the impromptu conference was for just as Snow entered the diner.

Snow watched Emma running to bathroom as she came in. She was angry with Regina for calling her out of school, but as soon as she saw a frantic Emma and Belle sitting at the booth, her anger changed to wonder. She couldn’t begin to fathom why Regina would call her out of school for a meeting with Emma and Belle if it wasn’t really an emergency.   
She looked at Ruby, who was heading towards the booth herself with a tray of coffee and a full carafe. Snow took a seat beside Belle as Ruby put the tray on the table. Once the tray was set, Ruby reached to the table behind and grabbed a chair. She spun it around and took a seat.

Emma came out of the back and ran a hand across her mouth. Her eyes were pleading with Snow and Regina. She saw the wonder in everyone’s eyes and the bile came back. She swallowed it down and took her seat next to Regina. 

Regina looked up at her with blank eyes. Her regality was taking over and Emma could feel it. She wasn’t expecting the warm hand that came to her thigh. She looked at Regina, but didn’t she her falter. She faced them all like the Queen. The only thing that gave her away to Emma was her hand as it squeezed her thigh periodically.

“What’s going on?” Snow asked, getting to the point.

“I don’t know how to tell you this, so I am just going to blunt about it,” Regina stated.

“Tell me about what?” Belled questioned.

“Ruby, do you remember a few weeks back you made a comment to Emma about Coraline?”

“Yeah, what of it?” Ruby inquired.

“I followed up on your statement. You were right to question it. There is something off about her. Emma and I found out some things the other day. We were going to wait to tell you, but it seems that we cannot wait at this time,” Regina told them.

“What things?” Belle asked.

“Well, Ruby told me that she smelled funny,” Emma stated.

“Really?” Snow asked. “You started an investigation because she smelled funny. Come on, what is this really about?”

“It started with that statement,” Emma replied.

“Emma didn’t think anything about it. She didn’t know how keen a wolf’s nose was. I did. I decided to do my own investigation. I was glad that I did. I found out some information about your little sister, Belle. Things that no one in town knew.”

“Like what?” Belle questions skeptically.

“She has magic.”

There was a collective gasp at the table. Regina gave them time to digest what she had said. She knew how much of a shock it was. Belle began to shake her head. 

“No, she doesn’t. No one in my family has magic. Rumple has magic. You have magic. Emma has magic. Coraline doesn’t have any magic. I would have noticed.”

“She was very good at hiding it. I only caught it because of the smell. I…I saw her use it in frustration. She has some control, but she could be a loose cannon if she were to get angry.”

“And, you would know all about that wouldn’t you?” Snow asked.

“I would. I don’t deny that. It was one of the reasons that I confronted her about it.”

“You did what?!?” Belle asked.

“The night she called to cancel meeting us at the Hole, you were there,” Ruby accused.

“Yes, I was there. I told her to call you and tell you that she wouldn’t make it. I needed to talk to her. I needed to figure out where she had learned her magic and why I didn’t know about it. I knew that something was off with her, then. I just could have never guessed her reasoning.”

“Which was?” Snow prompted.

“Okay…that isn’t important,” Emma stated.

“How can you say that?” Belle asked, “She just admitted to confronting my sister and you are telling me that the reason my sister hid her magic from the town isn’t important. If isn’t, what is, Emma? I would like to know. Will you tell me?”

“She isn’t from our time,” Emma stated.

“What?” Snow questioned softly.

“She is from our future?” Ruby asked.

“Yes, she is from about twenty five years in the future from now. She is from the Enchanted Forest. She has come back for our help and Regina and I are going to do our best to help her. She wants to go home, but she is looking for something here. She just doesn’t know what it is. She doesn’t know what she needs to do. We are trying to help her figure it out.”

“Help her figure what out?” Snow asked.

“It seems that a new curse is cast in a few years which will send us all, Henry and Emma included, back to the Enchanted Forest. Something dark was waiting on us to come back. She knows of Zelena and it isn’t her. She calls this entity the Blackness,” Regina told them.

“The Blackness?” Belle asked.

“Yes,” Emma replied.

“She has been spending a lot of time in the library in the fairy tale and magic sections. I just never thought to look at what she was studying. It never crossed my mind,” Belle stated.

“No one did, Belle. Don’t feel bad. We had no reason to question who or what she was. She fit in perfectly. She was trying to stay hidden so she could figure it out on her own,” Emma said.

“Why?” Ruby asked.

“She didn’t want to arouse suspicion as to her true motives. She actually admitted that she forgot how bad your nose was, Red. She figured that it would be easier her way. She chose Belle partially for that reason, but there is more,” Regina told them.

“Like what?” Belle asked.

“Regina…”

“She deserves to know, Emma. I would want any of you to know, if it were you. You wanted to tell her. So, we tell her everything,” Regina stated.

“Fine, but you can explain it to her later,” Emma replied.

“I will, when…Belle, she chose to be your sister.”

“What do you mean she chose?”

Snow watched the emotions cross Regina’s face. She knew that the woman was holding back, but she couldn’t figure out what. She looked at Regina and her hazel eyes pleaded with the brown ones. She watched as Regina swallowed, sighed, then sat up straighter, regaining her composure. Regina met Snow’s eyes and held them for a second before turning to Belle.

“You were her foster mother in the future. You raised her and taught her everything that you could about magic and the curse. She was closest to you, so it was easier for her to be related to you in our time. Her emotions were already tied to you in a way, even you didn’t know about it. She wanted to feel like she belong and with someone who actually loved her. I am sure that she didn’t mean to hurt you, but she needed a plausible cover.”

“But our memories of her?” Ruby asked.

“Blue and Tink cast a spell over the town at her request.”

“They knew?” Snow asked.

“They do.”

“Why do they know?” Belle questioned.

“They are the ones that found her when she came here. She was badly beaten and bruised. Blue told us it took months for her to acknowledge anything and when she did, she wanted Belle. It took weeks for Blue to get some of the story from her. When she did, she could tell that she wasn’t lying and she needed to help. She wanted to save the town,” Emma stated.

“And, now? Why are you telling me all this now? What happened?” Belle asked.

“She is missing,” Regina replied.

“She is missing?” Belle asked quietly.

“How long?” Snow asked.

“About,” Emma started to reply, and then looked at her watch, “Twelve plus hours now.”

“What are we doing about it?” Ruby asked.

“Telling you,” Emma replied.

“That is it?” Snow asked.

“I can’t do much as sheriff until she has been gone for twenty-four. I want to ask you some questions, Belle, but they may be difficult to answer. I am sorry, but I need to know. It will help me better prepare a plan to find her,” Emma stated.

“How do you know she is missing?” Belle asked.

“She was staying at the convent for the last few days.”

“Why?” Snow asked quickly, sensing there was more to the story.

“She was angry with me. She went to Blue to vent. Blue sent her out into the forest with Tink to work on her magic. Evidently she wanted to beat on something large, so Tink conjured her a dragon to fight,” Regina answered, not giving the full extent of the story.

“As in a giant lizard, fire breathing, flying thing kind of dragon?” Ruby questioned skeptically.

“As in fire breathing, large and dangerous, dragon, yes. She fought it off and destroyed it. No one in town knew what happened and we wouldn’t have either, if Blue hadn’t called Emma to bring me out there. Her wounds were bad and the fairies were trying to heal them, but they were having difficulties.”

“Why?” Belle inquired.

“It seems that her body is covered with tattoos.”

“Tattoos? Of what? Why?” Snow asked.

“They are spells, aren’t they?” Belle replied in question.

“Yes, they are. I couldn’t translate most of them. They are in a language I don’t know, but I am sure that you do, Belle. She told me that you were the one to give them to her. It took some of my magic to get around some of the spells to allow her body to heal,” Regina asked.

“Your magic?” Ruby asked.

“I didn’t hurt her,” Regina stated emphatically.

“I was there. She didn’t hurt her. She healed her. She helped,” Emma added.

“The only way to do that is with blood magic…” Belle stated and then stared at Regina.

Snow’s head snapped up as she stared between the two of them. Snow shook her head in disbelief and then looked at Belle. She knew that Belle had come to the same conclusion. It was the only reason that Snow could come up with that made sense about why Regina was so…

“No…” Snow said, quietly.

“What?” Ruby asked.

“If Regina used blood magic to get around the spells, then she is related to Coraline,” Belle said.

Ruby pushed off the back of the chair and sniffed the air. She cocked her head and took another sniff. Regina turned and looked into the wolf’s eyes. She saw Ruby’s eyes flash yellow and then settle back down. Regina looked wrecked. Ruby could smell the fear pouring off her.

“She’s yours…” Ruby stated and then looked at Emma.

Regina shook her head at Ruby. She knitted her eyebrows at Regina, but the haunted look in Regina’s eyes stopped the words from coming out. The smell of Henry…the mixture of Regina’s apples, Emma’s cinnamon and Snow’s vanilla…the knowledge crashed into Ruby quickly and fiercely. Regina shook her head, again, as she stared at Ruby.

“Not now, Wolf.”

Ruby stood up quickly and left the table. Her mind was reeling and she realized that Regina hadn’t told Emma, yet, if she honesty knew what it all meant. She ran out the diner door towards Belle’s old house without so much as a backwards glance towards them. The knowledge sent her to find proof for Emma. She wasn’t going to let her friends stay in the dark.

“What the Hell?” Emma asked.

“What is she to you?” Belle questioned, desperate for answers, even though her heart was breaking with each little bit of knowledge.

Regina turned and faced the blue eyed woman. Her heart broke for her, but she knew that Belle was smarter than anyone ever gave her credit for. She had figured out why Regina was upset with one sentence. She felt like she owed Belle the truth, and she hated owing anyone.

“Who is she to you, Regina? You owe me that much, now. Who is she?” Belle demanded.

“She is my daughter,” she replied in little more than a whisper, but the effect was deafening.

Snow coughed and sat down her coffee cup. Emma felt her leg start lose feeling as Regina bore down on it harder. She knew that Regina was waiting for Belle to lash out. Emma turned to look at Belle waiting for her to say something, anything.

“She is your daughter? But, yet, I am the one who raised her? Why me?”

“Because I would trust her with you. I know that you would be able to give her a good education and you would protect her as best you could. The tattoos make sense. You couldn’t do magic, so you put the magic on her body. It was very clever. It makes me glad that I thought enough ahead to trust you with her care. You will do a wonderful job with her,” Regina told her.

“No, why me? Why am I the one that ends up with your daughter? Why aren’t you there?”

“Because according to her, you and Red are the only ones that survive the slaughter.”

“Slaughter?” Snow asked.

“It seems that the Blackness takes over the realms of the Enchanted Forest. When it came knocking on my castle’s doors, Snow and her Army were fighting outside the walls. Charming and Henry had been there defending as well. Red came through and told me that we were failing. The Blackness would breach the walls before Snow could get to us. I got pissed off and decided to die trying to defend my home, my loves, my family. I wasn’t going to let it end that way. I was going to fight. I gave her to you and Red and gave you enough of a distraction to get out. I told you to run to Rumple’s castle. I knew that you would be safe there. But, we never came for you. You raised her there, without any of us.”

“You sacrificed yourself for her…” Belle whispered.

“She doesn’t give her that much credit,” Emma stated.

“She is angry with me for dying. She believes that my final act to save her was more of suicide than a distraction. She is angry with me for not being there for her. She has come here to stop the Blackness. She figures that if she can stop it, she can have her parents…save me. I want to help her with that,” Regina stated, “I owe her that much if I can.”

“Who is her father?” Snow asked.

“She won’t tell. She has only told me that they are my true love and they are here now. She won’t tell me who it is though,” Regina stated, as Ruby came back in the diner.

She threw an old leather bound journal at her. Regina picked up and studied it. She recognized the working in the leather and stared up at Ruby.

“Read it.”

“What?”

“Read it,” Ruby commanded.

Emma took the book and flipped through it. The pages were blank in the beginning and she sat it back down before she got to the end. She looked at Red and saw her eyes yellowing, again.

“Read it,” she said again.

Regina picked up the book and flipped into it a few pages. The words materialized as soon as she looked down at the pages. She didn’t know how Ruby would know about the blood magic she used in her diaries. 

“There is nothing there,” Regina lied.

Ruby leaned forward and got in her face. Snow and Belle were both a little scared at the sight, but no one stopped her. Emma started to say something, but Regina just squeezed her thigh, again, harder. She knew that there would be bruises there later, but she said nothing.

“Read it!”

“Sit down, Dog.”

“READ IT!”

“Fine,” Regina replied as she turned the page.

“I don’t know why I thought I could have a happy ending. Everyone has gotten their loves, but once again thanks to the women of the Charming household, I have lost mine. At least this time he isn’t dead. I swear neither of them think of the consequences of their actions. I can’t really blame Emma. It is in her blood. Snow, however, was a spoiled child. Will I never be rid of their unending happiness while I suffer? Someday I hope…but for now, Henry needs me, too. I cannot let his genetics corrupt him. I can’t let him grow up to be an idiot like his grandparents.”

“What the fuck, Regina? What are you reading? There is nothing on the page,” Emma stated.

“Tell her!”

“No,” Regina stated.

“She needs to…”

“Now is not the time, Dog. If you think that you will pressure me further, we can take this out back. I am not afraid of you, Mutt.”

“Regina…” Snow warned.

“Ruby, whatever it is, it doesn’t matter at this moment. You and Regina can talk about it later. Right now, Coraline has disappeared. We need to find her. She is possibly still hurt and we have no idea where she has gone. Whatever information you think that Regina has about the situation, trust me when I say it has nothing to do with where Coraline has gone,” Emma said.

“Tell her!” Ruby demanded.

“Outside. Wolf. Now!” Regina commanded as she literally pushed Emma out of the booth.

“Regina…” Emma started as she righted herself.

“Talk with Belle. I’ll meet you at the station in twenty minutes. Trust me. I won’t singe her fur. We may need her later. I promise that I’ll be good,” she stated, but they all saw the purple flash in her eyes.

Emma started to follow her outside, but Regina turned on her so quickly that they ran into each other. She felt an electricity between them as she gazed up into Regina’s now chocolate brown eyes. She arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at Emma and then glanced passed her to the booth. Emma understood the movement in her eyes. She knew she was being dismissed.

“Emma, talk with your mother and Belle. I promise that I will not hurt the wolf. She may prove to be useful in our quest. I am just going to calmly talk to her.”

Emma studied her face. She saw Regina’s resolve flash across it and she nodded. She reached out and grabbed Regina’s hand. She wasn’t sure what made her do it. Regina just looked down at their hands and then stared into Emma’s soulfully burning viridian eyes.

“I’m going to find her,” Emma repeated for the umpteenth time that day as she squeezed her hand before letting it go.

“I know you will,” Regina stated and walked away.

Emma returned to the booth. Snow and Belle were staring at her. Snow realized that Emma knew more than she was telling. She gave Emma a look. Emma just gave her a half-hearted smile in return. Snow decided that she would let it go for now, but she would question her later, when they were alone and she could ask her tough questions without worrying about the answers Emma might give her because of who was present.

“Belle?”

“What is it you want to know, Emma?” Belle asked.

“Do you have any idea where she might have gone? You have been the person that she has been closest to here. Anything at all that sticks out in your mind? It could sound stupid really when you think about it, but it could help us find her,” Emma stated.

“Boston,” Belle replied.

“Boston?” Snow asked, taking her hands and holding them in friendship and comfort.

“She kept asking how long it would take to get to Boston. I don’t know why. What the Hell is in Boston anyway? You lived there, Emma. Do you think she went to Boston?” Belle asked.

“I don’t know. But, that might give me a place to start. It would be within driving distance. I would say it would have only taken her five hours or less to get there, depending on traffic. I’ll make some calls. I still have some friends there that can start looking for me.”

“Why Boston, though?”

“I don’t know, Belle, but I am going to find her and find out. If you’ll excuse, I need to go make some calls. Hopefully, they can find her and then I’ll go get her,” Emma told her.

“Thank you,” Belle whispered as Emma stood up.

She gave a nervous smile at her mother and Belle. She gave a small curtsey, unconsciously before righting herself and walking out the door. Snow saw her pull out her cell from her back pocket and dial a number.

“Will, it’s Emma, Emma Swan. I need your help with a case. I’ll cover any fees,” Snow heard her say as she left the diner.


	6. Chapter 6

Regina followed Ruby out into the alley. She didn’t want to push any issues with anyone right now. All she wanted to do was find her daughter. She couldn’t believe that Ruby wanted to call her out about this now. Didn’t she understand that Coraline was gone?

“I don’t know what’s going on with you, Ruby, but we don’t have time for this. I need to find Coraline. So whatever it is that you think you know, get on with it,” Regina demanded.

Ruby spun around on her. Her eyes flashed yellow and Regina took a step back. She was in Regina’s face and gave her a slight growl. Regina returned her growl with a feral look and a flash of lavender in her own eyes. She wasn’t prepared for Ruby to push her up against the brick wall of the back of diner.

“What is wrong with you?” Regina hissed.

“After everything that you two have been through together, and you still haven’t told her yet?” Ruby asked.

“I haven’t told who what?”

“Come on, Regina. I can tell. I can smell both of you.”

“What are you talking about, Ruby? And, be plain about it. I don’t have time for this.”

“Are you seriously that blind?”

“Umm...I would choose your next words carefully, Wolf Pup. I don’t take being insulted well. You should know this. Now, tell me what you are insinuating,” Regina demanded.

“You love Emma.”

“I do not.”

“You do, too,” Ruby stated.

“What are you talking about?” Regina squeaked out in question.

“Isn’t it obvious? It makes sense. It all makes sense.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Coraline is Emma’s as well.”

“Are you daft? How could you say that? Why would you even think that?” Regina asked.

Ruby just cocked her eyebrow at Regina. She shook her head and backed up. She flopped her hands at her side. She could smell it coming off of Regina. She could feel the want and need of having Emma close to her. She just didn’t understand why Regina was still denying it? Coraline wasn’t enough proof for her. How could Ruby have missed it before?

“Admit to me that you think that Coraline is partially Emma’s,” Ruby commanded.

“I…can’t.”

“You won’t.”

“I don’t know,” Regina replied quietly.

“But you’ve thought about it, haven’t you? Just admit that to me. Let’s start there,” Ruby stated.

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“She’s...You know who her parents are. It would never work. Besides, it doesn’t matter. She would never feel the same way about me. We are from two different worlds,” Regina stated.

“So you have thought about it.”

“Shut up, Ruby.”

“When? When did you know? And, are you ever going to tell her?” Ruby questioned, backing down.

Regina watched Ruby as she began to pace. She didn’t want to deal with this right now. Coraline needed her. She needed Coraline. Everything was just so...fucked up. How was it that Ruby had picked up on how close she was finding herself getting to Emma? It wasn’t like an overnight thing, but it felt like it. She knew that the line between pleasure and pain was very thin, but to think about her former sworn enemies’ daughter as something she could love wasn’t even in the realm of possibility for her.

“It doesn’t matter. She is with Hook. I’ve lost Robin because of her incessant need to be good. I am a villain at heart, Ruby. I don’t get a happy ending. I don’t get a soul mate. I get to be Henry’s mother and that is enough for me.”

“Liar.”

“I told you earlier, watch what you say. I might not do anything to you right now, but I never forget. You should know that.”

“I do, but I also know that you aren’t the hard ass that you want everyone to believe you are anymore. You’ve changed. You did it for Henry, but I think more so for yourself. We could all tell how tired you were, Regina. Come on. I understand having a dark past better than anyone. I killed my boyfriend because I didn’t know how to control my powers. So, please tell me how punishing yourself will help you any. I did it for years, then I found my mother. I killed her, you know? I am the one who killed my own mother,” Ruby told her.

“Join the club,” Regina stated, calming a little more.

“No, you gave your mother another chance by giving her heart back. Snow had already poisoned the heart. You didn’t kill her. You released her from her own torment. And, for the briefest of moments, you knew what it was like to have your mother’s love. You knew what it meant to be loved again.”

“Henry had already given me that,” Regina replied.

“But, he took it away. Face it, Regina. You haven’t had the greatest record with those you love. We all know that. We’ve all felt your wrath because of it. For once, stop punishing yourself and be open to the possibility. Emma is just as damaged as both of us. Why do you think that she is drawn to you?”

“She is damaged because of me,” Regina said.

“No, she is damaged because Snow and Charming sent her alone through the wardrobe. She grew up alone and she has been doing nothing since she crossed our town line and realized who she was but keep her family safe. That includes you, too. How many times has she saved your ass? How many times has she protected you from something trying to kill you? How many times have you returned the favor?”

Regina looked at her puzzled. She hadn’t thought about that. It was just something that they did. It was like second nature for them both. They shared a connection with Henry.

“Henry isn’t the only thing you share,” Ruby told her.

“And, what else?”

“Magic.”

“I know that, but there is nothing else.”

“When did you know?” Ruby asked again.

“In Neverland,” she replied.

“Because she was willing to do whatever it took to get our son back.”

“Anything?” Ruby asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yes. Anything. She even betrayed Snow’s wishes and let me take a heart. It was amazing. I knew that she had regrets. I knew that she felt responsible for him being there, just as much as I did. But, she changed there. She became a mother, in the purest form. She became the Savior. She embodied the hero. She made me realize that she didn’t think in black and white, like her parents and like Henry. She had been tainted by being an orphan. She saw the gray of the world and embraced it with open arms. We actually became friends or something close to it there. I don’t think it was just for Henry. I think we did it for each other. We could actually talk to each other about our pasts without being worried about what the other would think. It was nice to not be judged for once,” Regina explained.

“But, you never told her how you felt,” Ruby slated.

“I couldn’t.”

“Why not?” Ruby asked.

“She had Neal and Hook to deal with. I didn’t want to add my name to the list. Besides, I didn’t want to deal with it at the time. I was too worried about the nightmares that Henry might have from being there. Then, we had to deal with Pan.”

“And, we ended up in the Enchanted Forest again,” Ruby stated like more things just fell into place.

“And, I found Robin.”

“Did you actually love him?” Ruby questioned.

“I don’t know. Our romance was so brief here and I had nothing to base it on for months because of Zelena’s curse. When I did regain my memories, I knew that the only reason I was attracted to him was because of Tink and her fairy dust. That isn’t really enough to base a relationship on. I think at that point I just didn’t care. I had Henry back. We were in Storybrooke. Emma and I were friends and working together to stop Zelena. We were growing closer. Things were looking good for everyone.”

“And, then she brought Marian back with her from the past,” Ruby stated.

“Yes, and I got angry with her. We’ve all moved on, Ruby. I’ve decided not to dwell in my anger and the past. I know that Coraline is my future and I need to help her. Will you help me do that, now?” Regina asked her with an edge in her voice.

 

Emma spun around to find Belle and Snow watching her and waiting for her to come back in the diner. She smiled at them as she put her phone away in her pocket. She needed to get Regina calmed down and then plan their trip to Boston. She wanted to go outside and see what Regina and Ruby were talking about but she knew that Belle and Snow weren’t going to let her. She made her way back into the diner and sat on a chair that she pulled up to the booth.

“So what did your friend say?” Snow asked.

“They are going to keep a look out for me until we can get there,” Emma replied.

“This person is a friend of yours?” Belle asked.

“Yeah, they are. They are one of the ones that taught me how to be a bail bonds person. They taught me how to track people who don’t want to be found. They are good at their job.”

“Sounds like it, if you learned from them,” Snow stated.

“I did. They got me out of a tight spot once I got out of prison. They made me look for the finer things in life. It also helped that I had some street cred thanks to my prison time and the cons that I ran with Neal. It made being a bail bonds person a lot easier.”

“You miss it?” Snow asked.

“Chasing down jumpers? No, not really. The stake outs could be fun with the right people, but I am home now. I have a home. I have a family. Here, I am sheriff and...I’m happy,” Emma stated, not realizing that she actually meant it for once in her life.

“You’re going to bring them back here so we can meet them?” Snow asked, genuinely.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure that would be a good idea. I mean this is Storybrooke, not Boston.”

“That is true, but if they know you the way we know you, then I think that they could handle it. We aren’t that bad, are we? I mean, I know we are all storybook characters to you, but I think we could handle it if we had to pretend for a few days, don’t you?” Snow questioned.

“I’ll talk to Will. Who knows? She might fit in here. It would be nice to have another deputy. I’ll talk to Regina once everything has calmed down. Right now, I am trying to help her find Coraline. One thing at a time, Mom, okay?” Emma replied.

“I understand, Emma. It is just that we would like to know you better. You don’t like to talk about before you were with us,” Snow stated.

“I know, because it doesn’t matter anymore. I am here. I am home. I have a family. That is all that matters to me, now.”

“You said her name was Will?” Belle questioned.

“Yeah, Willow Locksley, why? You heard of her, or something? She is a pretty well known in Boston, but I didn’t think that her reputation made it this far,” Emma replied.

“Locksley? As in from Nottingham? She wouldn’t happen to have reddish hair would she?” Belle asked.

“Yeah, Willow has red hair and she is from England, too, why?”

“I don’t think she would have a problem with us, Emma. She might like it here. Ask her,” Belle suggested.

“What are you talking about?” Emma asked them.

“You seriously didn’t get the connection?” Belle replied.

“Come on, Emma. Even you know that story, right? Regina was dating Robin Hood.”

“Yeah, so what?”

“Will Scarlet also known as Will Locksley of Nottingham is Robin’s younger brother in the stories of Robin. He is the bastard son of Robert, Lord Lockley and some maiden. I know that you had to have seen the Kevin Costner movie about Robin,” Belle said.

“Well, Will is girl, so I don’t see how that works,” Emma replied.

“And Jack the Giant Killer was actually a woman named Jacqueline. Her nickname was Jack. She actually dated your father’s twin brother James there for a while,” Snow added.

“Seriously? Is there no story that is safe from your world? Who else do I need to be worried about?”

“It is your world, too, Emma,” Snow said, a little hurt.

“Sorry. You know this is hard for me, still. I read about your lives in tales for children. It was all make believe and fairy tales. Next you are going to tell me that Dorothy isn’t really from Kansas.”

“I don’t know. She isn’t from our land. Oz is a completely different realm,” Belle stated.

“I know that much. I dated a flying monkey it seems. But, that is all water under the bridge. We’ve dealt with Zelena. You and David even met Glinda. By the way, did we ever get her out of that wintery place? Never mind, we need to be focusing on Coraline and helping her at the moment. Every other storybook character is going to have to take a number and get in line,” Emma explained.

“Why are you so worried about Coraline, Emma? What do you know that we don’t? Is there something else that you haven’t told us?” Snow asked, suddenly concerned about her daughter’s reaction to the whole situation.

“I don’t think so, no. I just...I don’t know what it is, but I can tell that she is important to my future. I don’t know why, but I do. Regina is scared. She doesn’t want anyone to know it, but she is. She is terrified. Coraline is her daughter and she is scared of her. I can’t imagine the Hell that is in her mind right now. She is frightened of her and of the town. I understand it, but Coraline is deeper than that. Regina is...she’s changed and there is something about Coraline that upsets her,” Emma told them.

“I can see it, too,” Snow stated.

“She’s afraid of us?” Belle asked.

“Can you blame her? Her daughter has magic, comes back to change the future and used her magic to convince us all that she was your younger sister. I can completely understand why is they are both afraid.”

“Well, when you put it that way…” Belle started.

“Look, I can’t explain what I don’t fully know or understand. But, there is something about Coraline that is drawing me to her. I don’t understand it any more than Regina does.   
We have both had this feeling with her. It might just be the magic, but we need to find her before she does something we all might regret,” Emma told them.

“Like use her magic?” Snow asked.

 

She awoke to a phone ringing. She didn’t move because she realized that it wasn’t her phone. She sighed. She remembered last night in flashes and couldn’t believe that she let herself go. She ran a hand down her face when she felt the other body get out of the bed. It had been impulse, pure impulse and now Coraline was preparing her escape from a place she didn’t know.

She opened her eyes and surveyed the room she was in. The bright light of the morning was pouring in through a bank of windows which were facing the harbor. She blinked and remembered that she was in Boston. She was searching for Emma’s past. Something that would explain her mother’s desire to be a hero. She knew she wouldn’t find it in Storybrooke. Regina hadn’t written about it much. She was lost.

She blinked again trying to focus on anything, she didn’t care what. She needed to get her mind right. She knew that Regina and Emma would probably be looking for her by now. She would be missing. Blue and Tink would have told them. She needed to get back to minimize the fallout. She knew it, but she didn’t want to go, either. She felt like she had disappointed them all and she couldn’t fix it.

She sighed heavily. She leaned against the window with her forehead. The cool glass greeted her with an old familiar feeling she couldn’t describe. She watched the boats in the harbor moving in and out. Her eyes missed nothing below her, but everything else around her.

She didn’t care that she had gone home with someone. She really didn’t. She had felt more alive in the last two days than she had for the last five years. It was weird in Boston though. Her blood didn’t feel like it was on fire here, like it did in Storybrooke and in the Forest. She wondered if this is what “normal” felt like for everyone else. She had to admit magic was different in this realm, and she had yet to completely understand it. Boston was helping her see it though.

She reached down and found her pants, thankful they were at least nearby. She rifled through them until she found her cell phone. She shook her head at herself when she saw the missed calls that started this morning from Blue and then later from both Regina and Emma. She was going to be in trouble when her mother got here and she knew it. She knew that Regina was going to fly off on her. Emma was another story all together, and she was a story that she didn’t know.

She heard whomever she had spent the night with coming back towards the bed room. She grabbed her dark skinny jeans and put them on, quickly. She was putting her bra and slightly wrinkled white shirt on as a young woman with auburn hair and hazel eyes entered the room on her cell phone.

“Yeah, Emma, I’ll put my nose to the ground and ears to the tracks. If I hear or see her, I’ll keep her here until you get here this afternoon. It’s no problem, old friend.”

Coraline whipped around wide-eyed. Her mind was racing. They found her quickly. She made a quick glance at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It read l2:0l. She pinched the bridge of nose willing her stress away.

“Going somewhere?” the woman asked her.

“I...need to get home. I’m sorry. I have to go,” Coraline told her as she finished buttoning up her shirt.

“Wait, can you tell me one thing? What’s your name? Give me that at least. I mean after last night. I would like to see you again.”

“Sure. It’s Coraline French,” she answered and then left.

“Shit!” was all she heard as she ran down the corridor and out the Condo building to her car.

As Coraline got into her car, she realized that she had panicked. She didn’t know if the woman she was with actually knew who Emma was or if it was a different Emma. She just couldn’t take the chance, not at the moment. She looked at her cell phone to see what the time was. It was barely 12:15. She would have enough time to get out of Boston before Regina and Emma made it there. She wondered if she would find out any more about Emma in New York.

She dialed the number that Emma’s old flat mate gave her. She was looking for a Vivian O’Hara. Vivian had been one of Emma’s old bail bonds friends. She sat in the car in from a small diner and waited for the phone to be answered on the other end of the line.

“‘Ello?”

Her heart sunk at the sound of the voice. She remembered it from just a few minutes ago. Suddenly, she knew that the woman she had spent the night with was Vivian.

“Shit!”

“I’m sorry, mate. Did I do something to you? If I did, I’m sorry. But, I don’t rightly know this number, so could you give me a clue as to who you are. I might be able to apologize better,” she replied.

“I just left you.”

“You’re calling me already? I don’t remember giving you my number, but it seems like I did. Do you wanna come back here and talk to me? I know I’d like to talk to you.”

“I can’t come there.”

“Why not?”

“Emma is coming there,” Coraline replied.

“She is, but if they just left your little sleepy town in Maine. You have about four hours until she gets here. And, that would be with her speeding. Trust me, we’ve got time to talk,” she pushed.

“Meet me at...South Street Diner,” Coraline said, finding the sign of the diner and then she hung up.

She rested her head against the steering wheel. It was going to be a long day. She mentally calculated that she needed to be out of Boston before 3 pm. If she could do that, it would put her in New York by dinner time, depending on traffic. She would have to start her search there tomorrow. She understood why Boston was so important to Emma, but New York just seemed like a fleeting memory. It was just a blip in the little bit of story that Regina managed to give her about her other mother. She sighed.

Mentally steeling herself for the fallout that was about to happen, she got out of the car and went into the diner. She got a booth by the window so that Vivian could see when she got there. She didn’t know what she was going to tell her. Hell, she didn’t even know who she was until a minute ago. How did she make it all the way to Boston to hook up with one of her Ma’s old friends? It was all a little too much. She guessed that it was her fate though. Nothing about her life had ever been simple and today was no different.

A waitress came to the table and took her drink order. She stared at the window watching the cars go by and wondering what Vivian drove. She shook her head. She couldn’t believe how complicated things had gotten in less than twenty-four hours. She was supposed to be finding out what caused the Blackness, not screwing up her possibility of being born.

“Beating yourself up isn’t going to fix whatever you’re running from,” Vivian told her as she sat down on the other side of the booth.

“How do you do that?”

“Do what, love?”

“Sneak up like that?”

“Years of practice, dear, many years of practice,” she answered.

“I don’t guess that I need to introduce myself, now, do I?”

“Not really, love. I think that Emma did that for you earlier on the phone. But, to be honest, I am wondering why you are in Boston looking for her if you knew where she was the   
entire time.”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Coraline stated.

“Ah, but that is where you are wrong. I’ve been in Boston for years, dear. I have heard a lot of stories from a lot of different people, but none of them have ever given me the face that you did this morning.”

“I’m sorry for running. It’s kinda a family trait. It is what we do. We run when things get difficult.”

“I understand. I have a very interesting family dynamic, too. I think we all do. It is how we deal with it that helps us deal with other relationships. If I did something else to upset you, today or last night, I am sorry for that, love. Truly, I didn’t mean to offend,” Vivian told her.

“You didn’t offend me. And, I should thank you for last night. I haven’t felt that alive in a very long time. I just wished that I had known that you were Emma’s mentor then, I might have approached things differently. I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of me,” Coraline stated.

“I didn’t. I am not a love ‘em and leave ‘em kinda girl. I really wanted your name so I could find you later. I had a good time last night, but today things are complicated. I get it. I understand. What can I do to help you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you start with why you are running from Emma?”

“I am not running per se. More of I left town and didn’t tell anyone where I was going.”

“Ah, that explains a little more about her phone call then,” Vivian replied.

“Look. I came here looking for a woman named Vivian O’Hara. I know that she was one of Emma’s mentors. I needed to know more about Emma and I knew that this O’Hara would know the most.”

“Well, to tell you the truth, Vivian O’Hara is an undercover name that I use. My real name is Willow Redding. I am a bail bonds person and I did train Emma once she got to Boston. But, if you want to know more about Emma, you need to talk to Emma,” she told Coraline.

“That is where things get really complicated.”

“Then, why don’t you try to explain the complications to me? I’ll try to help. If I can, that is.”

 

Regina leaned against the wall of the diner, slightly defeated. She was mad that the Wolf could read her so well, when she herself wasn’t sure. She knew that she had been slowly stepping over the line between hatred and friendship with Emma, daily. She hadn’t really realized that she was so dangerously close to stepping over the friendship line and telling Emma everything.

Ruby watched her. She could see the emotions flooding and pooling in Regina’s eyes. She hadn’t wanted to force the issue, but she felt that she must because of Coraline. Emma needed to know. It wasn’t fair to either of them, the way things were with Coraline, but in her mind, Ruby felt like it was wrong that Regina hadn’t told her yet.

“You need to tell her about Coraline. She deserves to know. Hell, they all do.”

“I know that,” Regina replied, quietly.

“Why haven’t you told her, then?” Ruby demanded.

“Because, I just figured it out myself. I have only known that she is my daughter for a few days. It took her stupid stunt for me to start putting things together. You actually clued me in that something was amiss with Miss French to begin with,” Regina stated.

“You just figured it out that she was Emma’s too? How is that possible? Could you not see that she has Snow’s chin? And she has Emma’s stubborn streak along with her knack for running when things get hard. I mean I get that she has magic, both of you do, but how is she yours? In the name of anything holy, how did you two produce a child together?” Ruby asked.

“I haven’t figured that out yet. I have been too busy trying to make her feel better and figure out whatever the Hell this Blackness she has spoken of is. I have had other things on my mind. I can’t just know everything about magic. I have do research.”

“Then let’s hit the books.”

“It isn’t that simple. I need to find her. She is out there, with magic, in a land without it.”

“She is part you and part Emma. Hopefully, she inherited your calmness and just her stubbornness. If not, then we are all in a world of trouble if she does something out there. I agree we need to find her, but YOU need to talk to Emma. I can’t imagine what is going on in your head right now, Regina. But, not telling Emma that Coraline is her daughter as well and Henry’s baby sister...well...”

“It wouldn’t be good, I know.”

“You plan on telling her...soon.”

“Yes...I will. I need to. I don’t really have a choice. If I don’t you will or Coraline will herself.”

Regina didn’t see Emma coming to the door. Ruby was too focused on Regina lo see her either. She hesitated at the door, waiting to see what Ruby was going to do. She saw her eyes flash yellow again at Regina as she backed up enough to let Regina away from the wall. Regina didn’t move too far, and Emma could tell that she was using the wall to help hold herself up.

“Can you even tell her how you feel?”

“I don’t know.”

“You need to, Regina. I can see what this is doing to you. I may be the only one, but I see it. You need to learn to trust her. She trusts you. If she didn’t, you’d be dead ten times over by now. Surely, you know that. Do you at least trust her?”

“Yes, I trust her,” she said quietly, but it was loud enough for Emma to have heard her.

Emma thought about pushing the door open and going outside to talk to them both, but she hesitated when she saw the look on Ruby’s face. She couldn’t quite make out the emotion, but she understood that she needed to wait. She couldn’t tell if Ruby knew that she was there with her Wolf hearing or not, so she shrank back just a little from the door, but enough to still hear them. She held her breath for a second when she heard Ruby’s reply to Regina’s answer.

“You trust her? But, you haven’t told her. That doesn’t convey trust, Regina. It tells me that you are scared of her. I thought you were past that. I thought you and Emma had come to an understanding,” Ruby mused.

“We have.”

“Then, why haven’t you told her?”

“Do think that this is easy for me?” Regina quipped.

“No. I don’t. But, I still want to know why you haven’t told her. Come on, Regina. This isn’t a matter of public record. You could have told her privately by now. What are you so scared of?”

“Her.”

“You’re scared of Emma?” Ruby asked with a cocked eyebrow.

“Wouldn’t you be in my position?”

“I don’t know. I think I could work with it. Heaven knows, I wouldn’t mind it. It is Emma. She is easy enough to look at and appreciate, but tell me one thing, though,” Ruby teased.

“What is that, Mutt?” Regina asked, her anger beginning to flare at Ruby’s innuendo.

“Do you even think that Emma is cute?” Ruby questioned, teasingly.

“Ruby?!?”

“Just answer the question, Queenie,” Ruby teased further.

“Yes, I do,” Regina replied barely loud enough for Emma to make out, but she smiled at the answer anyway.

“Then what is the problem? It is obvious by Coraline’s existence that something happens soon between the two of you. Why deny it? Just tell her. But, can you wait until I can see her face?”

“Miss Lucas, you are sadly mistaken if you think that I am going to tell Emma anything about how I feel about her while you are within earshot. As for the matter of Coraline being our daughter, I am not sure how I should tell her that. How do I tell the woman who is the mother of my son that we share a daughter now as well?”

“To my face would be nice,” Emma stated, walking out the door and inserting herself between them.

“EMMA!”“ Regina screamed, not realizing how much she had actually heard, at her sudden presence.

“So I am Coraline’s father? How does that work? And, what else aren’t you telling me, ‘Gina?”


	7. Chapter 7

Ruby looked from Emma to Regina and back again. She saw the flash in Emma’s eyes and knew that she should leave. It didn’t matter how bad that she wanted to stay. This was a discussion that they needed to have in private. Ruby caught the look that Emma gave and she bowed out of the way. Ruby left them outside to hash things outs. She knew that it might take a while, but she smiled, knowing that it was about time they admitted to each other how they felt.

Emma waited for a good two minutes before she said anything. She just watched Regina and then stared at the door for a second to make sure that Ruby wasn’t there. She also wanted to make sure that Ruby hadn’t sent anyone else to check on them. They needed this moment, however fleeting it was, alone. She pushed the adrenaline down, hoping to stay calm, but her body was itching to move.

“Is there something that you would like to tell me?” Emma asked her.

“How much of what Ruby and I were discussing did you actually hear?”

“That isn’t what I asked. Can’t you just answer the question? Gah, Regina, why are you being so difficult? What is going on? First you drop the bomb on me that Coraline is your daughter, because she got hurt. So, I think that if you want my continued help with this, you better start talking.”

“I’m sorry,” Regina offered.

“Don’t apologize. Tell me everything and don’t leave anything out. I need to know everything if we are going to help her, Regina. Don’t shut me out now. Help me, help you find Coraline. Tell me what I need to know. We can deal with this shit. We’ve dealt with a lot. Just talk to me....Please.” Emma stated, ending with the plea.

Regina’s head snapped up and her eyes met Emma’s. Dark chocolate melted upon seeing the depth of emotion in the viridian. Emma shook her head and Regina watched as her blond hair moved slightly against her shoulders. The whole look that Emma was giving her was a mixture of pain, curiosity, and something that Regina couldn’t quite identify.

“I don’t know what to tell you.”

“The truth would be good. What do you know? Can you tell me that much?”

“You already know everything that I know.”

“Then, how come I didn’t know that I was her other mother?” Emma retorted.

“Because I didn’t either.”

“Come on, Regina. Tell me the truth. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because, I didn’t know.”

“Bullshit! You have kept the fact that she was your daughter a secret for days. If she told you that she was yours, why wouldn’t she have told you that I was the other parent? What the Hell is going on?”

“I didn’t know until yesterday. I had my suspicions about who the father might be, but trust me when I say that you weren’t on that list. It wasn’t until yesterday that I even entertained that she was a product of magic. She was always very cryptic about her parentage expect for pertaining to me. She always referred to you as ‘they.’ It wasn’t until I realized that she acted like you and her eyes flashed green that things starting falling into place,” Regina explained.

“Like what?”

“The fact that she didn’t really look that much like me. She favors you more. She also, as Ruby has pointed out, has Snow’s chin. That should have been enough for me, but it wasn’t. I didn’t want to think about the fact that we shared a daughter as well as a son,” Regina told her.

“Am I really that bad, Regina?”

“No, Emma. It isn’t that…”

“Then what the Hell is it? What was Ruby talking about that you needed to tell me? What is so wrong with us sharing another kid? Do I not love Henry enough for you? Have I not proven myself to you?”

Regina sighed. She looked down at the gravel and concrete below her feet. She sagged her shoulders in defeat. Emma could feel the air change around them, but she was still waiting for Regina to reply.

“You have.”

“I have, what?”

“You have proven to me over and over again that you are good mother,” Regina replied.

“Then, what is it, Regina? What aren’t you telling me? Is it really that hard to just tell me?”

“Yes, it is,” she replied just above a whisper.

“For fuck’s sake, Regina, really? You know what? Fine, I don’t care. Let’s just go find Coraline. I am going to call Will back and see if she’s found anything out in Boston yet,” Emma stated, reaching for her cell phone, as the ice in her voice penetrated Regina’s heart.

“I care for you.” Regina said barely audible.

Emma dropped her hands, but still held her cell phone in her hand. She stood stark still, waiting for Regina to explain her statement further. She knew that she cared for the woman, in a fashion more than friendship, but after everything that they had been through, she never dared to speak about it. She was still afraid of Regina’s wrath when it came to Henry. Henry was truly Emma’s only weakness, just as much as he was Regina’s. He was the one thing that they could use against each other. Emma was glad that they had finally gotten past all of that, but this...this was something new.

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” Emma questioned, quietly, not sure that heard Regina correctly.

“I care for you.”

“That is what I thought you said,” Emma replied, almost smugly.

“Emma…”

“I am not going to push for more, right now. I know how much it cost you to say that to me. But, what does that have to do with Coraline? Why didn’t you just tell me when you thought you knew that she was OUR daughter? That is what I don’t understand,” Emma stated.

“I was scared of how you would react.”

“Why? Why are you still so afraid of me? I have never done anything to threaten you, outright.”

“Because…”

“Yes?”

“Look, can’t we just go ahead and go to Boston.”

“No!”

“Why not?” Regina asked, her anger flaring.

“Because, ‘we’ aren’t going anywhere until you tell me what is really going on. I know that you have some sort of suspicion about what is going on. I want to know what you think. I need to know what you think about this. I am trying to understand it all and none of it is making any sense to me.”

“It isn’t for me either, Miss Swan.”

“I think we are past that,” Emma slated.

“Past what?”

“My name is Emma. Call me, Emma. Dammit! Or, you can go find Coraline in Boston all on your own. Talk to me, Regina. Tell me what you are thinking, right now.”

Regina just stared at her. She didn’t dare say out loud what she was thinking. It wasn’t appropriate.

“Regina, listen. Don’t over think it. Just say it. I’m not going to run away. I am trying to help. Let me help. I can only do that if you trust me enough to tell me the truth.”

“Fine, but I warned you.”

“Duly noted.” Emma quipped.

“The only thing that I didn’t tell you about her story is that I can control her. So could you or Snow. She bears the tattoo of the elite guard on her right bicep. It is blood magic tattoo. It seems that Belle found some of my ink or someone did. She decided to get the tattoo to support the throne, even though she knew that it was her throne to rule. She told me that the only three people who could command her were the three queens of the Forest.”

“Three queens?”

“Yes, it seems your mother and I split the kingdom. In whatever happened to cause the split, it was not done in animosity, but in choice. You chose to come with me, as did Henry. He was to be king in both kingdoms after our demise. Unfortunately, the events of her life it didn’t happen that way.”

“Meaning?”

“We all died and she lived. Ruby and Belle raised her to the best of their ability but she still bears some ill will towards us as her parents. She is mad that we left her. Rather, I think that she is angrier with me than you. She actually seems to hate me. I don’t want her to hate me.”

“Sounds like we need to go to Boston and find our daughter.”

“Thank you...Miss...Emma.” Regina replied.

“Don’t thank me yet. This discussion is far from over. I’m gonna call Will. Then we’re going to talk, even if it is in the car on the way there. I think we both need to do this.”

They walked back into the diner. Emma followed Regina back in as they sat back down at the booth. Snow and Belle gave them a questioning look, but didn’t say anything. Ruby just smiled at them.

“Mom, I need you to do me a favor,” Emma started, clearly a little unsettled.

“Anything,” Snow answered quickly, happy that her daughter was asking her for help.

“I need you to watch Henry for us,” Emma answered.

She could feel Regina’s unhappiness about the situation, but they had no other choice. They were going to Boston and Henry needed to stay with someone. Henry would be fine with his grandparents. Emma was glad that Regina didn’t voice her disapproval in Snow watching him. She also knew that they had forgiven each other to a degree and were civil to each other, now. It was still a stretch to give them time with Henry without asking Regina first. She knew that she didn’t like the “idiots” parenting him. It was their best choice and she knew that Regina knew that, too.

Emma stepped away and called Will back. She got the information she needed and gave Regina a knowing look. She turned back to her mother, Snow, and smiled.

“Going somewhere?” Ruby asked them, after Emma got off the phone.

“Boston,” Emma said with a finality.

“Boston?” Belle asked.

“Yes, it seems that Coraline is trying to learn more about the Savior. Somehow she thinks that learning from her and about her that she can stop the Blackness. She didn’t feel comfortable talking to Emma by herself yet, it seems,” Regina told them.

“So she went to Boston?” Red asked.

“Yes, Will thinks that she found her. Speaking of which I need to call Will back and find out if it was really her. I’ll let you know, Regina, but either way I’ll be at your house in an hour. Sound good?” Emma asked, but didn’t really wait for an answer as she headed for the diner’s front door.

Ruby turned to Regina and looked her in the eye. Hazel met brown and neither gave any indication of what they were thinking. Ruby continued to watch her, though, noting the emotional storm that she was going through. She knew that Regina was harboring a secret, but she wasn’t going to tell, not now, anyway. She gave a silent acknowledgment to Regina letting her know, again, that she wasn’t going to betray her trust when it came to her feelings about Emma.

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to go get ready for my trip. Thank you for listening. I hope that we can meet again and discuss this in more detail once my daughter comes back with me,” Regina told them, standing to leave.

Like Emma before, she didn’t wait for them to say anything, but simply left. Ruby watched her go. Snow was watching Ruby and nudged Belle, who saw the same look in Ruby’s eyes that Snow did. Belle scrunched her face up in question.

“What do you know, Red?” Snow asked.

“What are you talking about?”

“What aren’t you telling us?” Snow asked her friend again.

“It isn’t my place. If you want to know, ask Emma or Regina. That is all I’m going to say for now,” Ruby stated standing. “I need to go check on Granny.”

“Why do I feel like there is more to this story then they are telling us?” Snow asked Belle.

“There usually is when in concerns them,” Belle answered, before taking a sip of her coffee.

 

Regina sat in her study. She didn’t know what to pack or if she needed to pack anything. She wasn’t sure of much right now and she didn’t like it. She didn’t like not knowing the outcome of the situation she found herself in, but that was how this world worked. She wasn’t happy. She didn’t know if she was ever going to be happy. She had to believe what Coraline told her. It was the only thing that she could hold on to, right now, because of the situation. She had allowed herself to become attached to the girl for the simple fact she wanted to be a mother.

Emma came in the house via a key that Henry had made for her. She knew that it would upset Regina, but at that moment, she didn’t care. She knew that Regina was hurting and she knew why. If she stopped long enough, she would admit that she was now, too.

She didn’t know what to think. She didn’t know what to do. All she knew is that she didn’t want Regina to be hurting. She didn’t want Henry to freak out about having another sibling, especially one from the future. He had done well with his young Uncle Neal, but this was on a whole other plain of emotion for everyone. Their child, or younger sister, had come back from the future to save them.

How did one not get emotional about that? How did you process it and not freak out? Emma had no clue. She was sure that Regina didn’t either.

“Hey,” Emma told her joining her at the table.

“Hey.”

“You okay?”

“I guess as well as could be expected at the moment.”

“I gotcha.”

“Do you know how long we will be gone?” Regina asked her.

“I hope no more than a day, but that depends on you and Coraline, really.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because, she has obviously gone to Boston to find out more about me. I’ve never made it a secret that I was happy there before Henry came to get me. But, it wasn’t my home. I didn’t have a home until I came here. I don’t know what she is thinking. I might understand how she feels but I can’t know what she is thinking unless she tells me.”

“I know that.”

“The same goes for you, too.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It seems our daughter doesn’t like to express feelings well. I guess she got that from you. If she had just told me, I would have told her anything...everything. It wouldn’t have mattered to me that you were her mother, too. I would do anything for her. You know that. You’ve seen it with Henry.”

“I have.”

“But yet, you still hide behind the persona of the queen. Everyone knows that you are flawed, Regina. We all are. It is what makes us human. We are going to talk about earlier. Maybe not today, but it is going to happen. I am not going to push you, even though I want to, because I know that it might be hard for you to talk to me. But, know this. It is going to happen and soon. I need to know, too.”

Regina looked up at her. She couldn’t understand why all of the sudden, Emma needed to know. She figured that she was happy being the dark and just dealing with the status quo. She regarded her son’s other mother and her former nemesis, with wonder. What was it about Emma that was just some damn appealing? Was it a sense of danger? That couldn’t be it. Were they really that similar?

“What are you thinking about?” Emma asked her.

“You.”

“Directness, I like it. At least, I know that you aren’t going to sugar coat this, whatever this is,” Emma told her as she ran a hand through her hair. Regina watched as her straightened curly hair fell in waves and curls. Emma must have caught her looking, because she cocked her head and completely changed the subject by saying, “I think that we need to leave Ruby in charge while we are gone. She is the only one who has been a deputy and doesn’t have any personal agendas about the town. Plus we both know that we can trust her.”

“She would be the best candidate for it, I agree. The only question is do you think that she’ll do it. She quit working for you because she couldn’t handle the blood, remember?” Regina asked.

“I remember, but I don’t think that it was all of it. She wasn’t ready to be away from Granny. Plus, now that Granny has given her more responsibility at the diner she has blossomed into a more mature business-minded woman. She’ll do fine. I know that Snow might have a problem with it, but I’ll deal with my mother. I’ll make her see my point. Besides she’ll have enough to worry about dealing with Henry and Neal.”

“Why are you planning for things to go wrong?” Regina asked suddenly.

“Because we are responsible adults now, it is what we do.”

“But, why, Emma?”

“Because I don’t want to have to be worried about Henry.”

“Why are you worried about Henry, dear?” Regina asked her.

“I don’t know. I just am. But, I think that I am more worried about dealing with Coraline right now.”

“She scares you?”

“She doesn’t scare you?” Emma quipped.

Regina smiled. There was the Miss Swan she knew. She was turning back into the scared woman that had first come to Storybrooke bringing a runaway Henry home. She found her home here, but it was Henry that brought her back. Now, they were both going after their daughter. They had to be missing something and Emma felt that whatever it was, it was huge.

“Emma, she is our daughter. We can’t let her frighten us. We have to be there for her. We aren’t in her future. We don’t even know when she is born. Whatever happens to her, she is blaming us partially. I will do anything to make sure that OUR daughter doesn’t want for anything, including her parents. I would think that you would be on board with that,” Regina told her.

“Oh, I am so on board with that. I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I did. That is why I am happy that Henry had you. His childhood didn’t suck. It was epically fantastic, but it didn’t suck. He never knew what it was like to be bounced around from home to home, never knowing if he would ever have a real family, never knowing if he was just a meal ticket or never knowing he wasn’t loved.”

“You shouldn’t have either,” Regina offered. “I would change that if I could, but I can’t. No one deserves that, Emma. No child should ever wonder if they are loved.”

“You were loved, Regina,” Emma replied.

“By a father who sat back and let my mother abuse me and my love for her to get what she wanted and by an abusive mother, who used my want for her love to control me, mold me and break me at her will. Yes, I grew up in a loving home, too, Emma,” Regina quipped.

“I...I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. If we hadn’t had our misgivings as children we wouldn’t be who we are today. And on top of that, we wouldn’t have Henry. We are who we are so we could have him,” Regina told her. “That is our fate. And, now, we share a daughter. A daughter who needs our help against a foe we know nothing about, and as usual we are going in head first into the fray, not worrying about ourselves or what happens to us. We are only worried about our children. I think that makes us pretty good parents, don’t you? I know we are doing a better job than our own did with us.”

“That is true. We are some pretty awesome parents. Damn it, I hate it when you have a reasonable point. It makes it harder to argue against. But, then again, Snow didn’t have to put me in the wardrobe. I don’t understand why she still can’t understand why that bothers me. Her idea of good parenting was sending me away when times got tough. Guess I learned that lesson well, I did it with Henry, too.”

“You did, but it was for the best.”

“She’ll argue the same thing.”

“You did break the curse.”

“You cast it.”

“I did, and I still don’t regret it. I don’t regret casting it at all. It gave me Henry, happiness and finally you. I would have never had any of that back in the Enchanted Forest.”

“You still don’t have me,” Emma quipped, cocking an eyebrow in defiance.

“It was just a figure of speech, Miss Swan.”

“Emma...my name is Emma.”

“Fine then, Emma,” Regina huffed in response.

“That’s better.”

“Why are you here?”

“I told you that we are going to talk.”

“We are talking,” Regina stated.

“About us?”

“What is there to talk about, Emma? There really isn’t an us. They are just feelings and innuendo.”

“I am going to have to call bullshit on that, Regina.”

“Excuse me?”

“We have a daughter.”

“What does that mean?”

“We created a daughter.”

“I know this.”

“So there has to be something there more than just feelings and innuendo.”

“What are you trying to tell me?”

“How did two people of the same sex have children in the Enchanted Forest, Regina?”

“I don’t know. It never really happened. When it did, it was so rare that it was hidden. The only magic that I know is strong enough to forgo the abilities of biology is True Love.”

“We have a daughter,” Emma stated, again.

“Are you trying to tell me that you are my true love, Emma?”‘

“It could be worse, right?”

“Oh, yes, Emma, it could. I will say that you aren’t anywhere near the lover that your dear departed Grandfather was. Or, even better, you weren’t marked to be my true love like Robin was. Also, I can say that mother can’t rip your heart out and crush in front of me, now. Since she is dead, thanks to your mother. It is quite refreshing when I think about it that way, darling. Yes, it could be very worse,” Regina mused.

“Well when you put it that way, I am a fucking catch of a lifetime.”

“You should be, Emma. You will make someone very happy. I’m sure. Gods know, that you of all of us deserve it more. Especially more than your idiotic parents, I tell you that much.”

“Careful, Regina. They are still my parents. I might not love them like I should, but they are still my parents. But, I believe that you got a raw deal, too. You deserve your happiness, Regina. I hope that you find it. I really do. If by some off chance fate decides that I am the person to make you happy, then I will do my best to keep you happy. I can tell you that much, your majesty,” Emma told her.

Regina’s head snapped up and she stared into her perfect green eyes. Damn, Emma and her Charming blood. She didn’t know what to think about what the Savior had just told her. She cocked her head and she was sure that the vein in her forehead was popping like it always did when she thought too hard or was too emotional about anything.

“Stop over thinking it, Regina. You’re beautiful. You’d make anyone happy because you love so fiercely. I don’t know what you want. It doesn’t matter right now. What matters is our daughter.”

“But, you just told me...”

“Does that surprise you?”

“But, you’re Snow’s daughter,” Regina said like it explained away everything.

“And, I’ll be the first to tell you that I am far from perfect. I am her daughter and her blood, but I don’t have her sensibilities. I grew up different. I am a little more accepting than they are. Just saying. I tend to see things more grayly than they do. You should know that by now.”

Just then, Emma’s phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and stared at the caller ID. She couldn’t believe that Will was already calling her. This had to be good news.

“We need to go to the diner, before we leave,” Emma told her standing up.

 

Ruby was cleaning off the tables in the front windows of the diner. She looked up just in time to see Emma pulling into a parking space right in front of the diner. She wasn’t surprised to see Regina get out of the cruiser, too. She went back to cleaning tables, just wondering why they weren’t already on the road to Boston by now. She looked up into Emma’s perfect green eyes as she and Regina sat down in the front booth/table combination. She cocked her head in question but didn’t say anything.

“Coffee, black and a hot chocolate with cinnamon for Emma, please, Ruby.” Regina told her.

Ruby just nodded and went to the counter to get their drinks. She watched them from her vantage point behind the counter. She noticed that Emma seemed tense and Regina was still trying to reign in her emotions. They were definitely off their game. She could have tried to listen to their conversation if she had wanted, but she wanted to give them space. She just wanted them as they interacted with each other. It was almost amusing to watch them trying to not react to each other sitting next to each other like they were.  
She grabbed both drinks and started to head back to their table. She watched Regina more this time as she scoffed at Emma pulling out her cell phone. She set their drinks down. Emma mumbled something of a thanks and Regina just nodded at her. She could smell the emotions flowing of Regina and decided to go back behind the counter to give them some space. Whatever was happening between them, it was theirs to deal with, but secretly Ruby hoped they would just jump each other soon and get it over with. Everyone, well maybe not Snow, would be happier because of it.

Emma made some quick phone calls. She was amazed at the awareness that Emma still gave the diner even though she was on the phone. It was the first time that Ruby saw her in this mode. It was different, but it reminded her of the woman that had stayed in Granny’s that night after bringing Henry back. There was something different in the way she was acting. It was almost as if she was part wolf, too. She was reacting and acting like she was on edge and hyper-sensitive to what was going around her. Her eyes were darting around the diner, while Regina was just staring into her cup of coffee.

Ruby couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed the coffee carafe and crossed the diner. She stopped at their table, silently giving Regina a look asking if her if she wanted more coffee.

“No, thank you, Miss Lucas. I am fine for now. Emma is going to need another soon.”

Ruby just looked at her. She didn’t know what was bothering Emma so much right now, but she was sure that she wasn’t just going to walk away this time. She pulled out the chair at the end of the table and sat down, placing the coffee carafe on the table near her. She noticed that Emma had sat her cell phone on the table in front of her, like she was expecting a call.

“Uh-uh, what’s going on?” Ruby asked.

“We need to talk to you, Wolf Pup.”

“You need to talk to me?”

“Yes, we do,” Emma added, like it explained the entire situation.

“Well, you mind cluing me into whatever it is. Contrary to popular belief, wares can’t read minds. So, you wanna tell me what is stressing you two out so much?”

“You already know why we are stressed, Miss Lucas,” Regina stated.

“Besides that, Queenie. It is rolling off you both like waves. It’s sickening. So what gives? Tell me.”

“We are waiting for the rest of them to join us,” Emma told her.

“The rest? Who else is coming? And, why can’t you just tell me first?”

“Because that would be rude and I don’t feel like repealing myself multiple times. I’m sorry, Miss Lucas, but you will just have to wait,” Regina told her and then turned to Emma to ask. “Was it her?”

“It was. She wants me to call back in an hour. She is trying to talk to her at the moment and she is afraid that if she talks to us longer, it’ll spook Coraline,” Emma replied.

“Your friend Will already found her?”

“It would seem so, Ruby.”

The look that Emma was giving her meant that there was definitely more to this story than she was letting on. She knew also that Regina wasn’t going to let her explain anything until everyone else, whoever they were, showed up for this...briefing of sorts from the Mayor and the Sheriff. The fact that she just realized that it was going to be a briefing made the hair on the back start to stand up.

The bell over the diner’s door jingled and announced someone was coming in. It made Ruby turn. She had her back to the door so she didn’t see anyone approaching. She wasn’t that surprised to see Henry, David and Snow coming in and sitting down at the table joining them. However, it was the fact that Belle came in alone shortly after that actually surprised her, followed by Leroy and Doc. They joined the table and sat down. Red stood up, quickly and took their drink orders.

She came back to the table an few minutes later with a round of sweet teas and a few coffees, plus another hot chocolate with cinnamon for Henry. After the drinks were passed around, Ruby resumed her seat in the chair at the end of the table. She noted that Leroy and Doc were standing behind the Charmings and as usual Leroy didn’t look happy to be there.

“So, Sister, what’s up with the impromptu council meeting, huh?” Leroy asked, obviously agitated.

“There have been some developments in the location of Miss French.”

“Uh, hello, Belle is right there,” Leroy stated, pointing at her.

“Not, that Miss French, dwarf.” Regina hissed.

“Regina…” Emma started.

“I’m sorry, but I believe that we should have already been on the road according to your calculations.”

“You’re right, but we needed to do this first,” she told Regina and then turned back to the crowd at the table. “Thank you all for coming. I know that this was short notice, but my friend in Boston has found Miss French and she is currently trying to convince her not to leave until Regina and I get there. This is where all of you come in to play for the next day or so.”

“What do you need, Emma?” David asked the concern in his voice evident.

“I need for you and Snow to watch Henry for us. We are both going and we want to make sure that he is going to be safe and goes to school. We don’t plan on being gone long. Hopefully we’ll be back tomorrow sometime in the late afternoon.”

“So why are we here, then? You don’t need us to guard the kid, do you? What is going on that you haven’t really told us, Sister?” Leroy asked.

“As you have so graciously pointed out, Leroy, there is more to what is going on right now. Which is why we have asked you all to join us this evening? We will tell you more as it becomes relevant to Storybrooke. Right now, I need to put some things in place before we go. We need to make sure that the town is cared for while we are gone,” Regina stated.

“It isn’t going to be a problem. We’ll take care of things while you are both gone. We’ve done it before. We can do it, again.” Snow said.

“Actually, that is why we are here, Mom,” Emma stated, getting everyone’s attention by not calling her Snow this time, before she continued to the entire group. “Both the Sheriff and the Mayor will be gone. This means that we will have to name a council member to serve as acting mayor and the head of the town until we get back. We’ve, both, decided that we would like it to be Ruby.”

There were gasps around the table. Ruby just stared at them. She saw the resoluteness in their looks. 

“Why me?”

“Because you aren’t family,” Regina said.

“Because you know more about what is really going on than anyone else here,” Emma stated.

“And, because you are you, Wolf Pup,” Regina added.

“Excuse me, but Ruby?” Leroy asked bringing them all back from their surprise.

“Got a problem with it, grumpy little man?” Red quipped quickly.

“And, you have teeth,” Emma mused, smiling at her friend’s easy transition.

“No, I am good,” he answered, backing down.

“Now, if no one else has anything to say. We need to talk to Snow in private. Thank you all for coming,” Regina told them as they all left.

She knew that it was hard for Snow to hear that Emma would pick Ruby over her for the emergency leader, but it had to be done. Snow and Charming would back her because Emma willed it, even if they didn’t agree with the situation. They waited for everyone to leave, but noticed that Henry and Charming hung around. Regina started fidgeting and Emma finally noticed that her father and son hadn’t vacated the booth, yet. She gave Charming a silent look. He got the message and leaned over to Henry, whispered something in his ear, and then they both left.

“What was that about, Emma?”

“I need you to calm down, Snow. It wasn’t personal. And, it wasn’t Regina’s decision. It was mine.”

“But, why?” Snow asked, obviously hurt.

“Ruby has been both a deputy and a friend. She’ll do fine. We didn’t want a war while we are gone. Some people still think that you should be ruling town like a queen. This is a democracy and the town bylaws allow us to appoint someone in our absence. I don’t know if we are going to be gone longer than a day. I really don’t and I need to know that I have your support in this.”

“You have it, Emma, always. I am sorry that you felt the need to have to ask me that, but I will always support you no matter what. You should know that. You’re my daughter. I love you,” Snow told her.

“That is why I have to tell you something that is going to be a bit of a shock.”

“Just tell me, Emma. I don’t want you to hide anything from me. We were friends before we knew each other as mother and daughter. I would hope that meant that you trusted me enough to tell me anything. I don’t want you to feel like you can’t tell me something because of your past or my past. That isn’t relevant anymore.”

“I am glad you said that, Mom,” Emma told her. “This isn’t going to be an easy conversation for either of us. I just want you to know that up front. I just don’t know how else to tell you but bluntly. It is about Coraline.”

“By the Gods, woman, just tell her already,” Regina huffed. “We don’t have time to be wasting. It is getting darker as the day wears on. We need to be leaving.”

“I know. I am sorry,” Emma told Regina before turning back to Snow. “The thing is, Mom. Coraline is also my daughter.”


	8. Chapter 8

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to figure out which way is going to be quicker to get to Boston,” Emma told her.

“You don’t know?”

“Well it has been a few years since I’ve made the trek, so yeah, I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just on edge. I don’t like this.”

“And, you think I do?” Emma questioned in response.

Regina flinched. She just wanted to get to Coraline. She wasn’t going to feel better until she saw her again. She knew that it wasn’t rational, but it was her daughter. It would have been the same way with Henry if he was missing. Neverland...she didn’t want to think about that right now.

“It’ll be okay, Regina.”

“Don’t stop telling me that,” she replied.

“I thought you hated the ‘Charming’ optimism.”

“Sometimes, I’ll admit that it is needed.”

“I’ll remember that later.”

Regina laughed lightly. She actually gave Emma a slight smile. She watched as Emma plugged away at her GPS entering her old address for directions. She picked a route and began to pull away from the curb. She headed out of town and over the line. Regina sat back in her seat and tried to get comfortable. She idly wondered, again, how long the trip was going to be.

“It isn’t going to be that bad,” Emma told her.

“Can you read my mind now?” Regina asked her.

“No. I just understand what you are feeling and why you are fidgety. It will be okay. Just stay calm and breathe. This is going to take us about three to four hours to get there, if I don’t speed too much.”

“You are the Sheriff. Go as fast as you deem it necessary to go. And, yes, that was an order from the Mayor.”

Emma laughed, but she knew what Regina meant. Regina was actually giving her permission to drive unsafely for once. She was that adamant about them getting to Boston...tonight.

“It is barely after five, Regina. We’ll be fine. Just relax. I got this.”

“That is only partially what scares me.”

“I scare you?”

“To a degree, yes, you do,” Regina answered.

“You want to have this conversation, now?” Emma asked only slightly surprised.

“No time like the present. I can’t go anywhere. I don’t have any magic over the town line. You basically have me at your mercy, Sheriff. I can’t do anything that you don’t want me to. I can’t do anything that I would want to with magic. I see this as something that you would like, is it not?” Regina asked.

“I want to talk to you. I don’t want it to be forced. This isn’t exactly what I meant about us talking about it later, but you’re right. You can’t go anywhere. But, that doesn’t mean that I am ready for this discussion. I mean, you didn’t really give me a choice in the matter back at the diner with Ruby.”

“I didn’t have one either.”

“I know.”

“Then, what is it?”

“I really haven’t had a chance to digest it all. First of all, we have a daughter...together. That thought alone is daunting in itself. Then, when I ask you how that could happen, you don’t really know except for magic and the possibility of True Love. Which brings me to the last thing that caught me completely off guard, you care for me. I think it is more than that, but I am not going to push.”

“Why not? You have in any other situation. What makes this one so special?” Regina inquired.

“You.”

“No, you are not allowed to do that. You can’t blame this all on me. It isn’t fair.”

“I didn’t say that I was blaming anything on you. I simply stated that you make this situation special. I am not sure how you’ll respond to anything I say and that is a little scary. I know what you are capable of doing when you get angry. I don’t want to make you angry, Regina. Is that a problem?”

“No.”

“Look, I am just as weirded out by this as you are.”

“That isn’t a word, Miss Swan.”

“Sure it is. Anyway, I am not trying to argue with you. I want to know what you feel.”

“What I feel?”

“Yes, what you feel. I know that you have been hurt in the past. Emotions aren’t something that you show easily. I get it. Above everyone else back in Storybrooke, I get it. You can’t lie to me anyway. I always know when you are lying. If you don’t want to talk, we don’t have to,” Emma offered.

“We have nothing else to do for the next few hours; we might as well.”

“We could play ‘I spy’,” Emma stated.

“As much fun as that sounds, no,” Regina replied.

“You like to spoil my fun, don’t you?”

“It isn’t so much as spoiling it; it was more of the fact that you are Snow’s daughter.”

“That is a problem for you, isn’t it?” Emma asked.

“It does make caring for you difficult. On one hand, I know that it could upset Snow and that makes me happy. On the other hand, I know that it might put you in a difficult position with your mother. I wouldn’t want you to suffer on my account. I believe I have caused you enough suffering to last anyone a lifetime. So in the end, I favor towards that instead of revenge on Snow,” Regina explained.

“So, now, I have to make the decision?”

“No, Dear, I didn’t say that. I was just stating that caring for you will cause you pain in one of two ways. It will either be directly by me or directly by your mother. I have chosen to keep my emotions and thoughts to myself. By doing that, I have removed the problem from the equation and everyone can remain happy like they already are,” Regina stated.

“But you aren’t happy,” Emma replied.

“Who says I am not?”

“Your eyes.”

“Em-ma…”

“Listen, it’s okay. I get it. I am not the easiest person to like. Then there is the problem with my lineage, but that didn’t stop you from loving Henry.”

Regina turned in her seat to stare at her. When Emma turned to meet her gaze, Regina simply shook her head and pointed back at the road. She saw Emma’s smile get bigger.

“You can’t deny it, can you?”

“Why should I? I love my...our son. He has made me happier than anyone else in a very long time.”

“I know. I also know what it was like for you when I showed up, when you thought I was going to take him from you. I know what you’ve been through for him, with him, and to get him. I applaud you for that. I know that you love Henry.”

“Then, what are you asking me?”

“When did you start to have feelings for me?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It obviously does.”

“Why?”

“Because our daughter came back to save us.”

“But, why does it matter when I started to care for you, Miss Swan?”

“Stop with that. Call me Emma, and just answer the question. It isn’t that hard. When?”

“In Neverland.”

“That long?” Emma asked full of surprise.

“Yes, that long.”

“And, you never thought to tell me?”

“I tried once.” Regina admitted.

“When?” 

“Does it matter?”

“Yes, it does. I want to know. I think I’ve earned that right, haven’t I?” Emma asked her.

“Yes, you have.”

“So, when?”

“I really don’t think that it is that important.”

“Sure it is.”

“Why is this so important to you?”

“Besides Coraline?” Emma asked in response.

“Yes, besides our children, why is it so important to you?”

“Maybe, because I’ve cared about you as well. I didn’t know how you would respond to any advances that I would make towards you, so I never did anything overt. I just tried to be nice and make sure that everyone knew that you were changing. Eventually, I wasn’t the only one who saw it.”

“What about your mother?”

“What about her?” Emma asked.

“Does she know?” 

“That I like you? No, I haven’t told her that yet. I was waiting to tell her when we got back, but I think the little tidbit about Coraline being mine kinda crushed her dreams a little. She isn’t stupid, just naïve. She’ll eventually figure it out on her own and then she’ll come question me about it, like she has with everything else,” Emma explained.

“Does that bother you?” Regina asked.

“No, not really. Should it? Wait, does it bother you?”

“No, it doesn’t bother me, Emma. I just don’t want to be the reason that you don’t have a good relationship with your parents. I’ve already caused enough damage in that department.”

“You cast the curse. You weren’t the one that sent me away. Eventually, she is going to have to own up to her own mistakes in that situation and quit blaming you. She had a choice and she made it. I don’t agree with it. Right now, we both agree to disagree about it. That is not your fault,” Emma said.

“She’ll see it differently.”

“Then let her. It is her problem, not mine. I’m a grown woman. If she wants someone to dote on, she has Neal to deal with. I am sure that he will love it.”

“I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It isn’t your fault.”

“I brought it up. I cast the curse. And, I shouldn’t have remained silent. I kept the truth from you because I was selfish. There is plenty to blame me for, Emma, especially to your parents. Hell, even Henry blamed me. It is easy to do. The only thing is that you don’t blame me.”

“Your choices affected me, yes, but it was the choices of others that caused me to be where I was and what I went through. There could have been other options. They didn’t try. They locked on to the one chance that they saw as the only way to save themselves. My life wasn’t thought about it. I was born to be the Savior. It didn’t matter how it happened but I was going to be this person. That was all they thought about.”

“That is a very cynical way of thinking,” Regina mused.

“You didn’t grow up here. It is easy to become disillusioned with the establishment. Life isn’t easy. I’ve had to fight for everything that I have, everything that I wanted, and to survive. Maybe it was to make me tougher and more spirited. I don’t know. But, I decided early enough that I was going to make my own destiny. I was going to live my life my way and I was going to be damned if I was going to let anyone else tell me otherwise.”

“That is a good mentally, I believe,” Regina replied.

“Not when you do things my way.”

“Which is?”

“I tend to over react on the violent side. I don’t think things through. I would rather fight someone than back up and think things through first. You of all people should know that. I’ve hit you. It makes liking me harder for those around me.”

“Not really.”

“Well, not you, you like violence.”

“What an awful thing to say,” Regina retorted.

“Isn’t it the truth?”

“The only people I have ever sought out for violence were your parents.”

“And then you cursed an entire kingdom,” Emma added.

“The curse wasn’t violent. It was deplorable, but not violent. No one was hurt because of the curse. No one was injured. They just didn’t know who they were. I didn’t raise an army to destroy someone. I kept an army to defend my lands and myself. I personally sought out your parents.”

“True and they did the same.”

“I don’t see how raising an army for the sole purpose of killing me isn’t considered violent.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think that they had much choice.”

“They could have let me kill them,” Regina added.

“See and that is why we get along. You’re amazing sarcastic wit is astounding. Plus, I know that you would have killed them given the chance. I am sure that you tried, but in the end...and I mean now, you realized, too late, it seems. It wouldn’t have solved your anger, grief or need for vengeance.”

“No, it wouldn’t. It is a dangerous and dark slope. I was pushed hard by not only my mother but also by Rumple. I think I learned to forgive your mother years ago, but my need for vengeance, my want for her punishment at my own hand, outweighed the desire to just simply live,” Regina explained.

“It does make loving someone difficult. What changed? Why did you stop going after her?”

“The curse and then Henry.”

“Ah, the heart of the truest believer saves the day again.”

“That he did.”

“How do you think he is going to take it about Coraline?”

“I have no idea.”

“Do you think that he’ll think we are trying to replace him?”

“I doubt it. He knows that we love him. He shouldn’t feel like we are replacing him. He would know that we love him just as much as we will love Coraline. Why do you ask? Are you still upset about Neal and your parents?” Regina asked her.

“It just gets to me sometimes. I get that they weren’t there for me and they want that. What mother doesn’t? I wish that I had that with Henry, but I wasn’t in a good place. He needed more than I could give, you know? And, then you gave me the fake memories. So, in a way, I did end up getting it. Thanks for that, again, by the way. It just seems selfish on Snow’s part, having another kid. I mean I want siblings, but now, my kids are going to have an uncle that is around their age or younger. Our family tree is seriously fucked up. I can’t imagine what this going to do them as they grow up together. I mean, Henry technically out ranks Neal in the line to throne and he’ll be older than Neal, but still the younger heir. It’s a mess,” Emma stated.

“That is if you allow Henry to be named as their crown prince,” Regina told her.

“What does that mean?”

“You are next in line, dear. Henry after you and then Neal, but ultimately, the decision on who is to rule after Snow’s demise, whenever that may be, would be you. You are the crown princess. Why do you think that the towns people let you get away with so much and don’t fight you on things? You are their princess and the savior. They’ll listen to you because you are Snow’s daughter. Your blood affords you more respect than your actions to a lot of the town.”

“I don’t want that. I never wanted that. How do I make it stop?”

“Being with me would do it,” Regina teased.

“Seriously, now, you joke about it.”

“Well, it’s true. I don’t know how they will react when you tell them that Coraline is your daughter, too. Now, wait and tell them that we made a child together. That is going to go over just as well as last curse with Zelena’s memory wiping addition. They aren’t going to be pleased with you. It certainly isn’t going to win you any favors, I’ll tell you that.”

“I don’t care.”

“You should.”

“Why because they are my subjects?”

“Yes,” Regina replied, making her face stone again and hiding her emotions.

“You want to know something?” Emma asked her trying to ease their emotions.

“Sure,” Regina replied.

“I think I began to feel something for you in Neverland, too,” Emma confessed.

 

Snow was still sitting in the booth hours later. Her hands were wrapped around the coffee mug she had been sipping, out of earlier. She was looking off and was completely dazed. The look on her face had been plastered there since Emma and Regina left an hour before. Ruby had been watching them talk, but had been good and not eaves dropped. Now, as she looked at her friend, she wished she had. She couldn’t imagine what they had said to her. Ruby finally couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed a tray from behind the counter and went over to the booth to clean it off and talk to Snow.

“Hey.”

“Ruby?”

“Yeah, Snow?”

“Does she love her?”

“Does who love who, Snow?”

“You’re friends with Emma. Does she love Regina? I mean, does she really love her?”

Ruby sat down. This was not what she was expecting. Her clear blue eyes met the questioning hazel. She didn’t know what Emma had told her and she didn’t know how much to divulge, either. Snow was her friend, but she was Emma’s mother. Emma was her friend, Goddaughter, and over all drinking buddy, but she was Snow’s daughter. It was a fine line and one that she didn’t want to cross.

“What are you talking about?” Ruby asked her.

“You know exactly what I am talking about, Red. You know something. I can see it on your face. What haven’t you told me? Does Emma love Regina?” Snow demanded.

“Whoa, calm down. I don’t know. I do know that Coraline is also her daughter. I can’t explain that. I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t know if they conjured Coraline in the future or something else. Magic isn’t really my forte, being a wolf is,” Ruby stated.

“I know that, but…”

“But, what?”

“I…I…I don’t know what to do.”

“What do you mean you don’t know what to do?” Ruby asked her.

“It’s Regina, Ruby. She is with Regina. How am I supposed to react to that?”

“Like you don’t know what’s going on, because we don’t.”

“They have a daughter.”

“They already have a son,” Ruby added.

“This is different.”

“How?”

“Because she is theirs.”

“And, Henry isn’t.”

“Henry isn’t Regina’s.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that,” Ruby warned.

“You know what I mean,” Snow replied.

“No, actually, I don’t. But, given this reaction, I can see why Emma came to me be interim mayor. You need to go and take care of your son and grandson. I am sure that David is waiting for you at home. Try not to think about it. I am sure that they will explain everything when they get home. They may not even know how it happens. Coraline from what I understand has been pretty vague about it. Hell, she might not even know.”

“The diary!”

“The what?”

“Coraline’s journal,” Snow stated.

“You wouldn’t. Besides, it was Regina’s. You wouldn’t be able to read it. It has a blood magic lock on the words. Coraline could read it because she is Regina’s. You wouldn’t be able to at all. It would look like blank paper.”

“But, Coraline is finishing it. I would be able to read the end. I could find out things.”

“Really, Snow. You would invade the privacy of your granddaughter just to get an answer to a question that you really don’t want an answer to. Wow, that is mature. I am going to need you to grow up and put your big girl panties on. Go home to your husband and talk to him. See what he says. And, for the love of Emma, don’t tell Henry that Coraline is his baby sister.”

“Why not?” Snow asked, cocking her head in naivety. 

“Are you fucking serious?”

“What?” 

“Everyone in town thinks that she is Belle’s little sister. Do you know what that would do to him? ‘Hey, kid, just so you know, your moms had a daughter, but we don’t know how. By the way, it’s Coraline. You’re a big brother.’ That would be insane. He has been through enough. Leave him out of it, Snow. You have questions, I get it. Hell, I am sure that Emma and Regina do, too. Let them figure it out and then, let them tell you. Don’t push Emma away further.”

Snow sat there and regarded her friend’s words. They were true. She did have a tumultuous relationship with her daughter. She knew that Neal complicated things further, but she saw the way that Henry and Emma were with Neal. She had always wanted a big family. Now that she had it, she would end up destroying it because she had to know. Was she willing to lose Emma, again? That was the real question that Ruby asked her. Could she handle being the reason that Emma left her, again? Once through the wardrobe because of the curse, twice as they fought to save Henry in Neverland, third when Pan cast the second curse, and fourth with birth of Neal…Snow wondered if they would survive another push apart.

“I don’t want to. I want my family. All of it. I don’t want anyone to be in pain.”

“And, neither does Emma. Besides, Regina is your family. You’ve forgiven her. She’s changed. They both have. They understand each other. They have a connection that you can never understand,” Ruby told her.

“Yeah, and what’s that?”

“You mean, besides Henry, magic.”

Snow knew that Ruby was right. She needed to wait for Emma to tell her however she felt. It wouldn’t do for her to go off before she had the facts. She had to remember that she didn’t want to upset Regina either. She knew that Regina deserved her own happiness, but Snow now had to look inside herself and see if she was willing to let it be with her daughter.

“But, it’s Emma.”

“And what is so wrong with that?”

“Nothing, I just never thought that Regina liked women.”

“Snow, Regina had both men and women when we were in the Enchanted Forest. Her orgies were something of legend in the pubs and taverns. For someone who lived on the run and in the forest, I know that you frequented those establishments. We didn’t care about it then. Why do you care about it now?” Ruby asked her, trying to temper her anger.

“Because it is my daughter.”

“And, if it were me?”

“Then, I would wish you all the happiness with her,” Snow told her.

“Regina was right when she said that you lived by a double standard. Grow up, Snow. Look around you. This isn’t the Enchanted Forest. These people aren’t your subjects. They are your fellow townsfolk. No one here is better than anyone else. We are equal. Regina cursed us, but she gave us so much more in that curse. If you can’t see that, then you are as blind and naïve as the child that hurt her so deeply all those years ago. Grow up. Regina has. Emma has. So has most of the town. Because I promise you this, right now, you decide to oppose them when they get back and you will start a war that you cannot and will not win. Emma will take her side and you know it.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because you would ask Emma to choose between you and her children. Who do you think will win that battle? I’ll give you a hint. It wouldn’t be you,” Ruby told her, grabbed the coffee carafe and walked off in a huff.

 

Emma pulled her phone out. She knew that she shouldn’t be on it while she was driving, but it was Ruby so it had to be important. She had told the Wolf that she would text her when they got to Boston so she could relay the message that they had made it safely. They were coming up on a toll road anyway. Emma needed a break. The drive was becoming monotonous. 

“Hold on, Rubes,” Emma said into the phone as she laid it on her lap. 

As she looked forward, she realized that there was construction on the road. It would take them longer, because her GPS didn’t know. Traffic was flowing but at a crawl. Now she didn’t feel so bad about taking the call. She looked over at Regina who had falling asleep about twenty minutes ago, mid-conversation. Emma hadn’t the heart to wake her. She knew that she was emotionally drained and without her magic, who knew what else. She needed her rest. Plus this gave Emma time to think about everything. She finally had some alone time.

“What’s up, Ruby?” she said picking up her phone.

“I might have to kill your mother,” she replied.

“What did she do?”

“She knows about you and Regina.”

“Knows what exactly?” Emma asked her.

“She knows that you like each other. She wasn’t very…accepting. I really want to smack her upside the head. Why did you have to off so close to the full moon?”

“Ruby, you know why we left,” Emma stated.

“I know, your kid. Find her yet? Wait, there yet?”

“No, I just ran into some construction and there is no nice way around it. We are still about an hour or so away. Well, we were. So go back to what Snow said,” Emma told her.

“She told me that she didn’t know if she could accept you two.”

“And, what did you say to her?” Emma asked, really wanting to know.

“I told her that if she pushed you hard enough away from Regina that she would lose you for good this time. And with that loss, she would lose her grandchildren and any hope that you would be a big family. Hell, I actually cussed.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

“That I cussed?”

“You do that daily, Ruby. I mean what she said. She is set in her ways. She tries to rationalize things based on what she knows, not what she feels, Rubes. She only uses emotion when it comes to Dad. Hell, you’ve seen that,” Emma told her.

“She is your mother!”

“Yelling at me isn’t going to make it any better,” Emma replied.

“But…grr…can I at least slap that smile off her face?”

“RUBY!”

“Sorry, I just…you’re my friend. She’s my friend, but this is killing me. I’m on your side if you didn’t already know. I hope you two the best. You’re perfect for each other. But, you have to do me one favor,” Ruby told her.

“Yeah, Red, what’s that?”

“You have to tell me how she is in bed,” Ruby stated.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now? I don’t think so. You’ll just have to let your imagination run with that one, Rubes. That is so never going to happen. Sorry, Wolfy.”

“Wolfy?

“Would you rather I call you Wolf Pup like Regina?” Emma asked her seriously.

“No, that is Regina’s. I get it though. I understand why you are so good together.”

“Care to clue me in to that, then,” Emma said.

“You both have dark childhoods and you did whatever you had to survive. You bottled it all in and started to run when things got emotional. Regina did the opposite. She let it all hang out. If she was mad, the whole world knew she was mad. You temper each other.”

“Huh?”

“You’re the first person that I’ve seen her hold her tongue for. And, you have admittedly stated that you find it hard not to lash out at her, when you would normally just leave. You bring out the best in each other. You share magic and together your magic can do anything. And, now, I seriously mean anything because you have a beautiful daughter,” Ruby told her.

“Don’t need a pep talk, Rubes.”

“I know. I know. I just…you’re good together. Just think about it. I promise that I’ll stay out of it. Well, I’ll try anyway.”

“Are you calm, now, Rubes?”

“Yes, I am. Thanks, Emma. Just remember to think about it. She might surprise you.”

“She already has,” Emma told her, hanging up the phone.

Emma dropped her cell into the cup holder in the console. She looked over to see that Regina was awake and staring at her. She looked like she waiting for something.

“What’s wrong?” she finally asked.

“Nothing, just some construction. It is slowing us down, but unfortunately we aren’t in area that I could take a detour. We’ll just have to ride it out. Sorry. Google didn’t really prepare me for this. Hopefully will be out of it soon,” Emma told her.

“That isn’t what I meant,” Regina replied.

“Then what did you mean?”

“Ruby called you.”

“She did.”

“Why?”

“She got into it with Snow and she needed to yell at someone. She figured that I would be the best option because I could only yell back. That way she wouldn’t phase with her anger.”

“Your mother has that ability with anyone, dear. That is nothing new. Did she say why?”

“She did,” Emma replied, punching the GPS hoping for an alternate route.

“And?”

“And, what?”

“Are you going to tell me?” Regina questioned, sitting up a little more fully in her seat, stretching her neck and back in the process.

“You really get off on my making my mother miserable, don’t you?” Emma countered.

“It does bring a slight joy, yes. I won’t deny it. Old habits and all.”

“That’s bullshit, but okay.”

“No, it really isn’t. We have been at odds for most of our adult lives. Whereas she might not wish me ill, ill things have happened to me because of her. Where I wished her ill, it only came back on me. You would think I was a masochist because of our awesomely epic love-hate relationship. Just remember that it wasn’t always like this. I have tried to not hate your dear mother, but sometimes her sickeningly sweet optimism and happiness make me want to choke the life out of her. It is good to know that I am not the only one,” Regina explained.

“Well, that is going to make Thanksgiving interesting.”

“Don’t forget Christmas,” Regina added.

“Did you just make a joke? Did you really just make a joke about a family dinner with me? That did not just happen. You didn’t do that. Regina Mills doesn’t joke,” Emma stated.

“You’ve just never given me the correct occasion, dear. Your mother is usually the butt of all my jokes. You just earn a lot of my sass and sarcasm. Your father…well, I’ll be nice.”

“No, oh, no…now you have to tell me,” Emma demanded.

“He is a mix of both. I see how you are like him, but he takes Snow’s side even when he doesn’t want to sometimes. I can see it in his eyes. He is an idiot in love and that rules him.”

“There is nothing wrong with that,” Emma stated.

“There is when it would have killed me and you would have kept them both.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The day I was to be executed, your mother stopped it. David obviously didn’t want to, but he went along with it. He knew that I would bide my time and come back at them stronger. They had moved into George’s castles in the Summerlands. They were preparing to go to war with me. Snow wanted to have the Winterlands back to the House of White.”

“So?”

“You would have grown up and been queen of both kingdoms, and you would have had your parents,” Regina told her.

“But, you would dead.”

“You would have been happy.”

“I would have never had Henry.”

“Would that have been so bad for you?” Regina asked her.

“I don’t want to think about it. It is in the past. I have Henry. I have my parents. Henry has you. We will deal with the rest. Just let it go, Regina,” Emma told her.

Emma shifted in her seat. She didn’t know what else to say to Regina. First she tells her that she cares for her and then she tells her that she’d been better off if David had let her die. She didn’t know what sort of reaction Regina wanted. Did she want her angry? Was that easier for her to deal with because she had been angry for so long? Did she honestly think that she didn’t deserve happiness? Had Henry and she not done enough to prove that she wasn’t the Evil Queen anymore? Could she not accept that she had a second chance now to make things better?

“Regina, I …” Emma started, but her cell phone rang.

She grabbed it out of the console. She opened it without looking at the caller ID. She figured that it was Ruby calling her again to bitch about something else that her mother said.

“Rubes, now isn’t really a good time,” Emma said, answering it.

“Um…Sorry, love, but this isn’t Rubes. It’s Will. You okay, love?”

“Yeah, Will, I am fine,” Emma replied, shaking her head.

“You on the way, still?”

“Yup, we’re on I 95, stuck in some construction. I’m trying to find a way around it. I know that it is getting late. I meant to be there by now.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve finally got her calmed down from earlier when I told her you were coming to get her. I’m still not sure how she got here and she wouldn’t tell me. She kept just rambling on about finding two apartments in New York. She told me that there was a talisman in one of them, but she wasn’t sure which one. That mean anything to you?” Will asked her.

“Not really,” Emma lied.

Her thoughts immediately flew to Neal’s apartment. He had their dream catcher in the window. She remembered seeing it when she took Rumple to him. Then, she remembered fingering it after Hook took her to his apartment before she had her memories back. Why would Coraline need that? What was she really up to?

“Anyway, she’s knocked out on my couch. Take your time. I’ll make sure that she is still here when you get here. I doubt that she is going to want to leave in the morning, anyway.”

“Why?” Emma asked cautiously.

“She is going to have a monster of a headache, dear. She sure can sling them back, but I don’t think she realized that the morning is going to be a wanker of bitch. I’ve already shoved some Tylenol and water into her. Hopefully she won’t be a bear like you when she wakes up.”

“I only bit your head off once. How was I supposed to know that they drugged my drink? By the way, thanks for taking care of me that night. I don’t think that I ever properly thanked you.”

“You did when you woke up. I wasn’t sure that you were. I know that we were after a guy, but I still don’t know how you lasted that long with that much shite in your system.”

“Magical genes, I guess,” Emma stated before she realized that it was true.

“Anyway, take your time. Get something to eat, because if you did what I think you did, you haven’t. You got some things in order and left town. I get it. It’s all good. I hope that her mother is a looker. Cause damn, this one is a heartbreaker.”

“I know,” Emma replied, looking over at Regina who had falling back asleep.

“Wait…what?”

“Don’t worry about it, Will. Thanks for keeping her there. Do me a favor. Call the Westin and book a room. I doubt we are going to make it early enough to make an appearance. And, can you get Monty to come over in the morning. I have a feeling that a change of clothes is going to be in order,” Emma stated.

“For you?”

“Nope, I am going to raid your closet. They’re for Regina. Trust me. Monty is going to love playing dress up with her. Make us an appointment around ten. We’ll meet you at the diner for breakfast at nine. That should give him plenty of time to set up in your place, right?”

“Yeah, but why my place?” Will asked.

“You’ll see when we get there.”


	9. Chapter 9

Boston, late evening

 

Regina was just glad that Emma had allowed her to take the shower first. Her nerves were shot and she didn’t want to deal with the Savior right now. She just wanted to let the day melt away and relax. The only thought about it that was still bothering her was the fact that they were going to have to share a bed. It wasn’t an unpleasant thought, but she didn’t know how Emma might react if all the sudden she found herself being cuddled.

She let the spray wash over her. It wasn’t a great shower, but it would do. She was actually amazed that Emma got them a room in the nice hotel. It wasn’t some low rent place, either. It was the Westin Waterfront. It was expensive, but near enough to Miss Redding’s apartment that they could meet up in the morning. Once everyone was calm and rested, she saw it as a win-win situation. She hadn’t been prepared for the overnight stay, but it seemed the hotel had everything she needed, including dry cleaning, which would be ready in about an hour. 

She couldn’t wait. She needed to feel something besides the road on her. She couldn’t believe how the short five hour trip made her feel so dirty. It was amazing to her. But, then again, the nuances of this realm still got to her. She knew that she would have felt better if she had traveled by coach to get to Boston. It wasn’t going to happen, she knew that, but that didn’t make her not wish for the old realm and its danger.

She held herself up under the spray. She would miss the indoor plumbing, but that was something that she could rectify with some magic. She could bring it to the Enchanted Forest she mused. She grabbed the soap and shampoo and washed herself. When she finally deemed that she had been in the shower long enough, she leaned out, reaching for her towel. It was at that precise moment that Emma knocked on the door.

“Regina?”

“What is it, Miss Swan?”

“Really?”

“No, really, what do you need?”

“Did you save me some hot water?”

“I imagine that a facility of this size has many water heaters, Emma. I am sure that you will find that you still have plenty of hot water. I am almost done,” she answered, drying off, but staring in the mirror at the same time.

She hadn’t really stared at herself in the harsh light of a bathroom or in a mirror’s reflection in quiet sometime. She hadn’t had the need. Her feelings for Emma suddenly made her feel lacking in some respect. She studied the scars over her torso that her mother had given her in her fits of rage at Regina’s defiance. There were others that she had earned while she was the Evil Queen, but she didn’t count those as often. She knew each and everyone one. 

She looked into the eyes and saw the hollowness that was forming. She was still lonely. It didn’t matter that she and Emma had come to a form of joint custody when it came to Henry. She still didn’t know what real love was. She had lost it so many times that she thought that she would never know what it was. She had the love of Henry and she loved him, but she knew that it wasn’t enough. She stared at herself and wondered if it was wise to love Emma. Wise or not, she knew that she did.

She couldn’t remember when she crossed the line completely. She knew that she had been skirting it for a while. There was just something that was just as broken about Emma that she could understand. It was part of the draw. She didn’t know if it was just Henry, but he sure had brought them together. And, now there was Coraline. She was proof that Regina found love, somehow with Emma. She leaned on the counter, towel wrapped around her torso, and looked into her chocolate eyes and watched them soften.

“Regina, hey, you coming out of there?” Emma asked on the other side of the door.

“Just a minute,” she told her.

“Well, I really have to pee.”

Regina smirked. Emma knew how to ruin a non-existent moment. She grabbed the towel where she had it tucked into her boobs and opened the door. 

She was sure that Emma wasn’t prepared for the sight. She almost fell over as Regina exited the bathroom. Her mouth was going up and down like a fish, in shock. 

“It’s all yours, Emma,” she told her, brushing past the Sheriff and heading towards the bed.

Emma went into the bathroom and shut the door. Her mind was racing. She knew that Regina didn’t have anything to change into in the room. They hadn’t really planned on staying, but their conversation about Coraline had taken longer than they both expected. The drive had been predictable, with all the road construction. The call to Will was interesting, but Emma wasn’t trying to read too much into it at the moment. There was just something about Regina.

She did her business and flushed. While she washed her hands, she silently hoped that Regina had found one of the soft and downy robes that the hotel had in the closet. She didn’t know if she could handle Regina in just a towel. She looked up into the mirror and her viridian eyes were blown. This couldn’t be happening at a worse time, Emma thought to herself.

“Why, Regina? Why now? Why did you have to admit that you loved me?” she asked herself.

It just didn’t seem like something that Regina would do, but then again, Regina did like to surprise everyone. It had to be magic. Emma dismissed the thought as soon as she thought it. She wouldn’t use magic to fall in love, because they both knew that it never worked out the way you hoped. No, there was no logical explanation for the ardor that Emma felt for the woman, and try as she might, she didn’t hate it.

She sighed. She studied her face, noting the flush of her cheeks, the redness of her lips and her lust blown eyes. She tried to shake the look away. When that didn’t work, she washed her face quickly in the sink. When she looked up, she faced the inevitable. She loved Regina, too.

“Shit!”

She hadn’t meant to say it so loud. She hoped that Regina didn’t hear her and came to find out what was bothering her. She quickly dried her face with a towel and opened the bathroom door. She still had the towel on her face as she exited the bathroom. She was hoping to hide her face from Regina as she came back into the main part of their suite.  
She stopped dead in her tracks and dropped the towel as soon as she saw Regina. She was standing next to the window. The towel as still wrapped around her body along with her tan arms. Regina was holding herself as she stared down into the bay below.

Emma just stood there. She had to know that Regina could see her reflection in the window, but she didn’t say anything. She continued to stare down, wondering about Coraline.

“Regina?”

She didn’t turn around, but she answered, “Yes, Emma?”

“Wouldn’t you feel better in a robe?”

“I won’t feel right until I am back home in Storybrooke.”

Emma swallowed. She didn’t know what else to say. Regina had been uncharacteristically quiet since they had gotten to Boston. She wondered if it was her loss of magic. Emma finally remembered how to walk and she crossed the room to the closet. She grabbed a robe and walked over to where Regina was. She held it open for her, turning her head, as Regina was still in front of the window.

“What are you doing, Sheriff?” Regina asked turning around to see Emma looking away.

“Trying to give you some privacy.”

“You are trying to give me some privacy. Well, that is a first. To what to do I owe this pleasure, Miss Swan?”

“Can you just stop with the angry sarcasm and call me Emma? I think we are past the anger, right? I just figured that you would be happier in this until your clothes are ready.”

“Well, thank you,” Regina replied, slowly slipping into the robe.

She didn’t turn from the floor length window as she tied the robe around her waist. She was a loss as to what to do. She couldn’t help but think that she was in a compromising position with Emma. They were in a hotel room, in another town, alone and Regina didn’t have any clothes. It was poetic in a way. She actually started laughing before she realized the sound came out.

“What’s so funny?” Emma asked.

Regina turned around to find her, propped up on the headboard of the California king bed. She had her cell phone in her hands and looked like she had been reading or playing some sort of game. Her eyes were darker than normal and Regina didn’t know what it meant.

“This entire situation, I’m afraid,” Regina told her.

Emma sat up, swung her legs off the bed, and her feet hit the floor. She sat her phone on the nightstand as she stood up. She saw Regina back up to the window reflexively.

“Don’t worry, Regina. I’m going to do anything to you. I understand that emotions are high and this situation is…odd to say the least. Trust me. This was not on my list of things to do today.”

“I am sure a round of wastebasket paper ball was,” Regina quipped.

“Depending on how things went, yeah. A good game with David could have been relaxing. I know that you aren’t fond of the situation, but it was the last room they had. That bed is big enough for the both of us without you having to worry about me touching you,” Emma told her.

“I am not worried about the bed, Emma. I am quite capable of sharing a bed without touching you. It is the look in your eyes,” Regina said, quietly.

Emma took in a deep breath and sighed. Shit! Regina could see it. She couldn’t help it. Being so close to her while holding the robe was almost too much for her. Emma had promised herself that she wouldn’t do anything until they both talked. The trip down seemed like a perfect time to do that, but Regina wasn’t helping much. The thought of her naked beneath the robe kept Emma on edge. She had to admit to herself that Regina was beautiful. Hell, anyone with a pulse would. The woman exuded sexiness, but that didn’t mean that Emma had to act on it.

“I’m sorry?”

“I wish I could take it back,” Regina told her.

“Take what back?”

“Our conversation, earlier. I’ve made you uncomfortable. I’ll call downstairs and find out if the concierge has my suit ready,” Regina said, trying to get around her to the phone. 

“Did you mean what you said?”

“Of course, I did. I wouldn’t have told you otherwise. I don’t waste my breath on frivolous things, Emma. I meant every word I said. I care for you and that makes you uncomfortable. I’m sorry for that. I hope that we can still be friends for Henry’s sake. I don’t want him to think that we hate each other again. It would break his heart,” Regina told her.

“What about Coraline?”

“What about her?”

“Did you forget about her?” Emma asked.

“How could I? That is the whole reason we are here. I’ve left the comfort of my home, my town, to come get her. I am not doing this lightly, Emma. I haven’t really thought it completely through either. I need to find and bring her home. Those are my only thoughts, right now,” Regina told her as stood next to the bed.

Emma watched her. She had to become a master of body language as a bounty hunter. It helped her with being the Sheriff, too, but with Regina, the woman schooled from birth to be queen, it was almost useless. She could always tell when Regina was lying, that was about it. But, Regina wasn’t lying. She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving with emotion, and her eyes were sad, but not. Emma couldn’t make out what was really going on with Regina. It wasn’t anything new, but her reaction to it surely was.

“I understand that, Regina. Trust me, I do. Coraline isn’t going anywhere for the night. Will is keeping her at her apartment for tonight. We are going to meet them for breakfast at the South Street Diner. Everything is going to be okay. I promise that I am not going to let anything happen to her. We are going to bring her home to Storybrooke. We’ll learn more about why she is here and we’ll deal with it, like we always do,” Emma explained.

“I know that,” Regina replied, quietly.

Emma slowly walked towards her. She watched as Regina’s pupils expanded even more in the heavily lighted room. There was something on her mind, and damn it, she wanted to know what it was. It was like Regina to be private, but this cagy woman before her wasn’t.

Emma stalked up on her. She didn’t mean to be so predatory, but she couldn’t help it. Her mind was overriding sensibility at the moment. Regina was radiating heat and was overloading Emma’s thought process. 

She had been silently thinking about the fact that Regina admitted that she cared for Emma, in a more than friendship sort of way. Emma had to admit to herself that she had thought about taking the mayor more than once in her own office. Emma shook her head. She didn’t need to be thinking like this, not when they were together…in the hotel room…alone.

Emma started to move back, but stepped forward instead, like she was drawn to Regina. She couldn’t explain it any other way. Her nose brushed against Regina’s hair and she could smell the faint scent of vanilla and jasmine. She was surprised that Regina hadn’t moved away from her. Emma buried her hands into the back pockets of her skinny jeans. She leaned back trying to make it not look awkward, but failed ever so Emma-like. 

Regina put out her hand and caught Emma by the arm without thinking. The heat that they shared in the simple act and touch was enough for them both to feel the fire. Regina immediately moved her hand. Emma caught the look of desire in her eyes, but took a step back. She didn’t want to push anything tonight. It was too much too soon, she kept telling herself.

It was then that she noticed Regina’s eyes as they raked over her body. She had thrown her customary red leather jacket on the chair by the desk. She stood in front of Regina in just a simple black tank top and her skinny jeans. Her calf-high brown boots had just enough of a heel that she had to look down at Regina, who dropped her head in shame to stare at the floor.

She watched Regina gulp as she, too, took a step back. It was in that moment that Emma forgot herself. She stepped into Regina. She felt her heat burning on her exposed skin. She couldn’t help herself. She was done with pretenses. They had talked. Regina confessed. Emma hadn’t completely. She kicked herself for not telling Regina how she felt, but they were on a mission. She didn’t want to complicate things any further than they already were.

With a slow and shy hand, Emma tipped Regina’s head back to look up at her. She had never seen her like this and the only thing that she could equate it to was that of a shy teenager, like she had been once. It was so unlike Regina that Emma didn’t know if what she was feeling was good or bad. She looked into her eyes. She could see the emotions swirling. And just like in a movie, she leaned down slowly to her lips. She waited to see if Regina would back up, but when she didn’t, she hesitated. She hovered over her mouth, breathing her breath, only a hair’s width between them.

“Regina?” Emma asked, breaking the spell between them.

Her eyes betrayed nothing. Emma didn’t move back. Instead she fell forward just enough to brush her lips against Regina’s. She tasted her luscious lips and swore that she used apple lip balm. She felt her lips open and Emma pressed harder, deepening the kiss.

“Regina?” she asked, again.

Regina couldn’t talk. Her entire body was on fire. She didn’t know what to say.

“Regina?”

“Yes, Emma?”

“Do you want me to kiss you?”

“Yes…” Regina breathed out.

Emma didn’t need any more encouragement. She leaned back down and took Regina’s mouth. Regina bit Emma’s lower lip and sucked it in her mouth. She heard Emma gasp. She couldn’t help herself anymore. The years of fighting and being alone finally caught up with Regina’s libido. She wanted Emma. She buried her hands into her long blond hair.

“Emma…”

“Yes?”

Regina didn’t say anything in response. She simply pulled Emma into her further. If Emma wanted to protest, she didn’t try very hard. Emma wrapped her hands around her body. Regina pulled one hand out of her hair and brushed it down Emma’s arm. She felt Emma’s muscles beneath her hands. She felt the rise and fall of her chest against her own. It was a new and amazing sensation. She didn’t know if Emma understood what her hands were trying to tell her, but she didn’t know any other language that would be sufficient enough to explain it.

Her hands made their way down to the hem of Emma’s tank top. She didn’t realize what she was doing until she backed up enough to pull the offending shirt over Emma’s head. She looked up into Emma’s eyes again. She watched the unsure but blown pupils follow her eyes, quickly drop to her mouth, and then hold her gaze again. Regina took the hint and kissed her hard.

She felt Emma’s moan on her lips as her hands continued to explore the paler woman’s flesh. Her hand pulled back on Emma’s hair, exposing her neck. She descended upon her throat, biting her pulse point. Her other hand found its way to the small of Emma’s back and trace nonsensical patterns there. Her mouth devoured the Savior and all she could do was beg for more.

“Regina, please…”

“What, Emma? Tell me what you want. Tell me,” she told her, letting go of her throat with her mouth and her hair with her hand that was buried there.

Regina backed up then, hoping that sense would knock one of them over the head and they wouldn’t go any further. It was then that she saw the look in Emma’s eyes. It was pure, unadulterated lust and desire. Regina’s mind raced quickly and she hoped that she was right.

“Emma?”

“Yes,” she managed to get out, somehow.

“Have you? I mean, did you ever… Why can’t I just ask you this?” Regina questioned.

“Are you trying to ask me if I’ve been with a woman?” 

“Yes,” Regina replied and backed up until her legs hit the edge of the bed. 

She wanted to put some distance between herself and the delectable Sheriff. The sight of her standing there in a black lace bra and her skinny jeans was enough to fuel Regina’s dreams for months. She wanted Emma in the worst way, but she wasn’t stupid enough to push her into it.

“I have, Regina.”

Regina watched her. She didn’t let her go. She didn’t try to kiss her again. She just watched her. She wanted to know what Emma wanted. She had made her point. Now, she wanted Emma to ask, beg, tell, whatever and let her know what she wanted.

“I experimented here, actually in Boston. I might be naïve in the ways of magic, but I am not when it comes to sex. I might not have had as many partners as you, but I am sure that I know what I am doing. I know what I like and I know what I want.”

“And, what do you want, Sheriff Swan?” Regina asked her, egging her on a little bit.

Emma reached out across the distance between them. She grabbed the knot on the front of Regina’s robe and pulled. As she tugged on the belt, she pulled herself closer to Regina. She looked down into the gorgeous chestnut eyes and let go of any inhibition that would make her stop. She wanted this as bad as Regina. She could tell. Years of arguing, years of fighting side by side for their son, years of admiration, had all come to this moment as they shared their mutual want for each other.

She slowly splayed the robe open to reveal the tan olive skin beneath it. Her breath caught when she realized that Regina had put her bra and panties back on underneath it. The red and black lace accentuated her skin perfectly. Emma’s breath hitched as she took another tentative step. She looked into Regina’s eyes as she slowly raised her own hand to ghost across the expanse of skin on her torso. She felt her quiver beneath her touch. It was soft and sweet and so not like either one of them. The touches were soft and exploratory. She couldn’t explain it. 

“Can I?”

“Please,” Regina told her as she pushed the robe from her body.

Regina felt her knees giving and knew that Emma quickly supported the majority of her weight. As the robe hit the floor, Emma had wrapped her arms around her middle supporting her. She moaned slightly at the warmth in their contact, but immediately gave in to her desires as she pushed Regina back just enough to hit the bed. 

She eased her down onto the bed and then backed away. Regina sat up and was about to protest when she saw Emma reach down and take her boots off. She tossed them beside the chair with her jacket. Her socks followed closely behind. She sauntered over to the bed and knelt in the small space that Regina had afforded her. 

Emma reached down and buried her hands into Regina’s silky locks as she tilted her head back for another kiss. Regina wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn’t stop looking at her. She wanted to know what caused the small scar at the base of her ribs. She wanted to memorize Emma’s body. She reached out and grabbed both globes of her ass effectively pulling her toward her as she fell back on the bed further.

Emma was quick to put her hands out so her entire weight wouldn’t fall on the mayor. She leaned forward slightly trying to move her weight to one side. The movement caused a very denim cladded leg to brush against her lace covered center. Regina moaned in pleasure.

She reached up and buried her hands in Emma’s hair again. Pulling her up onto her body, Regina held fast to Emma. She allowed herself to be brought up to Regina face so they could kiss again as she settled on her side next to her, leaving her knee right where it was. She got comfortable and ran her hands across Regina’s stomach. She felt the butterflies fluttering and heard Regina’s moan.

“Regina…” she moaned.

“Emma…”

“If you want me to stop, tell me now,” Emma told her, unsure that she could even stop herself.

She tugged harder on Emma’s hair pulling her head up to meet her gaze. She couldn’t believe that Emma was still questioning this. She didn’t want to think about it. She wanted Emma. It was that simple. Thought was not involved and it need not be. She glared at the Sheriff trying to figure out what her motivation was in stopping their pleasure and then it hit her. She didn’t want things to be weird in the morning. Things were already weird between them because of Henry. She didn’t want the complications that this might bring, if Regina wasn’t sure. She realized then that Emma wanted her the same way she wanted Emma. She was giving Regina an out. She didn’t know what Emma would do if she really did want to stop, but she wasn’t willing to let her go. She grazed her nails down Emma’s skull and to her back in response.

The moan that Emma gave out broke what little bit of control she had managed to keep in the situation. She pulled her body flush with hers and devoured her mouth. She forced her tongue inside, parting Emma’s lips, and moaning. This was a side of her that she remembered. This was how she knew sex as the Evil Queen. It was always rough and hard.  
Emma didn’t stop her. In fact, she ran a hand down Regina’s ribs and found a hip. She held onto that hip, grounding herself in the here and now, hoping that this wasn’t some sort of sick fantasy she was going to wake up from in an hour, and steadying herself as she rocked forward.

Regina gasped at the contact. Her skin burned everywhere that Emma touched. It was spectacular. She wanted this. She needed this. They both did.

“Regina…”

“Emmmmmaaaa…” she moaned as her knee pushed against her core.

Finally Regina had enough. She wanted more. She wanted to see Emma’s body. It wasn’t enough that she was just in jeans and bra. She wanted the Savior naked, wanting and under her. She rocked into Emma’s thrusts, but it was enough to gain enough momentum to roll them over, changing their positions so she was on top.

“ ‘Gina…”

“Yes, Emma…”

“God, you’re beautiful.”

Emma reached up to touch her some more, but Regina swatted her hands away as she settled back on her legs while straddling Emma’s hips. She reached behind her back and undid her own bra. Letting it fall forward, she caught the cups in her hands just in front of her breasts.

Emma let out a sigh of disappointment. She reached out again to touch her. She wanted to rip the bra from Regina’s hands.

“Not yet, Sheriff,” Regina told her swatting her hands away again.

Regina threw the bra on the floor and stared down at her. The fire dancing in Emma’s eyes was enough to tell Regina what she wanted, what they both wanted. Regina leaned down and bit at Emma’s collar bone. Emma moaned loudly. She couldn’t help herself.

Regina sat back and raked her hands down Emma’s front. She hissed a little when Regina’s nails dug a little deeper into her skin, but she realized that she like the blurriness of pleasure and pain with her. Regina just watched her eyes. They were so expressive and they told Regina things that Emma dared not say. Regina could feel the dampness growing between her legs. She needed to get off and quickly if she was going to make this last, oh, how she wanted to make it last. They did have all night.

She looked at Emma again as her carnality showed itself. She tore the bra from Emma’s body. Emma heard it hit the floor but she wasn’t sure she cared. She began to rock ever so slightly against Emma’s hips. The sensation was enough to set them both on fire. This had had been a building flame, that became a bonfire, that was about to become an inferno.

“What do you want?” Regina asked, every bit the Evil Queen, riding Emma’s hips.

“To please you,” Emma stated, with a heartbreaking truth that hit Regina to the core.

“How do you want to please me?”

“However you are willing to take it from me,” Emma replied.

If Regina’s pupils weren’t blown then, they were after that. Emma was willing to do whatever Regina wanted. She felt a flood below. A delicious smile crossed her face as she stood straight up on the bed. Emma gave her a questioning look, but Regina didn’t say anything. She hooked her thumbs into her red and black lace underwear and slowly inched them down her thighs. As she reached her knees, she let go with one hand to brace it on the ceiling as she removed them from one leg and then the other. She stood over Emma, whose smile just kept getting bigger. 

Regina held her panties in her hand and slowly walked up the bed. She carefully leaned down and hovered over Emma’s chest, now completely naked. She let her body rock forward as her knees gracefully, and without pinning Emma’s hair, fell just above her shoulders on either side of her head. Her apex was dangerously close to Emma’s mouth and she felt every breath.

“Do you love your Queen?” she asked, like she had so many times before.

“I do, your majesty,” Emma replied dutifully.

“Then show me!” Regina commanded.

Emma’s hands were on her hips in an instant. She pulled Regina’s body further down towards her mouth. Her tongue took one long lick and Regina arched a brow in triumph. When Emma did it again and stopped to nibble on her clit, Regina let out a delectable moan. Emma smiled up into her, letting her tongue do her worshiping of Regina’s body.   
Regina was already so close to the edge. She didn’t know how she held on, but she felt every single one of Emma’s fingers as they dug into her flesh holding her fast to the tongue that was tasting her. She leaned forward when her own body betrayed her and used a hand on the wall to keep herself upright. From this position she could see Emma’s emerald green eyes shining as she continued to lap at her. 

Her whole body was taught like a bow string and ready to sing, but she needed more than Emma’s tongue. She finally realized that. The motion of her hips and the lusciousness of Emma’s tongue were only enough for her when she was queen. She needed more, because she wanted more. She desired more, because she felt more. Emma must have sensed this internal debate between the Evil Queen and Regina and decided to solve the problem for her. She pulled one hand around a thigh, keeping her fingers splayed across Regina’s torso as the heel of her hand and her thumb found their marks. She pressed into the bundle of nerves and Regina soared.

The moan that tore through Regina started low in her throat and was more a growl of ecstasy before it finally emerged. Emma didn’t let up. She continued to lap and drink from her fount until Regina, not being able to take it anymore, simply lay back onto Emma’s body. Emma only gave her a moment’s peace before she leaned up and found her clit with her mouth. She latched on to it with her mouth and sucked hard. 

It felt like magic as she soared into oblivion. There was nothing else that Regina had to describe it. She hadn’t felt a release that awesome in years. She looked down into the brilliant green eyes of Emma and wondered what it was about her that she just couldn’t shake. She was the Savior and the daughter of her sworn enemies, but here they were, out of town, fucking like none of it mattered but their shared daughter. It had to be magic.

Emma’s hands ran up the smooth olive torso still above her until she found Regina’s breasts. She massaged them for a few minutes, until Regina’s hands for her own. She felt her bring her hands away from her loved body as her deep chestnut eyes found Emma’s emerald pools.

“Emma…”

“Yes, Regina?”

“Have you…do you want me…what about you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you not want anything in return?” Regina asked seriously.

“I’ll be okay, Regina. You don’t have to, if you don’t want to. It will be fine,” Emma stated as she helped Regina move down.

“Emma…”

Regina lay down beside her and stared into her viridian eyes. Emma just held her close. When Regina leaned into her to kiss, Emma allowed the movement and pulled her slightly on top of her. She heard Emma moan into the kiss as she deepened it. She wanted Emma but she was afraid of her own lust. She had just been given a mind blowing orgasm and now, Emma was acting like she didn’t want to be pleasured. Regina wasn’t sure what to do.

“Regina, it’s okay.”

“But, I want to taste you.”

“Then taste me. I am not going to stop you. I promise you that I will enjoy it. I am just saying that you don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to. We are kinda rushing things and I don’t want you to feel weird in the morning,” Emma told her.

“I think that it is too late for that.”

“Regina, I don’t want things to be weird between us. Maybe, I should just go. I’ll go find another room or something. I don’t want this to change things between us,” Emma said.

“It already has, Emma. Can’t you see that? We have a daughter. I don’t know when and I don’t know how, but we have a daughter. She came back to save us from ourselves and to stop some big bad evil entity. It looks like we were destined to be together. I know that this has been rushed,” Regina stated as she reached out and brushed her hand down Emma’s cheek, touching her as she continued, “But, I can’t deny that I didn’t want it to happen. I’ve seen the way you’ve looked at me when you thought I didn’t. I know how I’ve been looking at you. Sooner or later, I would have pushed you just to see how far you were willing to go. I don’t like waiting.”

“But, you were content to keep things as they were for Henry before. What’s changed now? Why did Coraline coming to Storybrooke change anything? Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Why didn’t I tell you? Because of your parents, who I am sure would like nothing more to have my head on a platter for what we just did. I am sure by now your mother has told your father about Coraline’s lineage. I know what fate awaits me when I get home.”

“No, you don’t. You assume too much. They aren’t going to do anything to you, because I am not going to let them and neither is Henry. You are still his mother, no matter what happens between us. Snow and David are just going to have to deal with you being in their lives, again.”

Regina reached out again and touched Emma’s cheek. The gesture was so loving and so foreign to both of them that they reveled in the moment. Emma leaned into her touch. She didn’t want to be denied any longer and the longer that Regina stared into Emma’s trusting and loving eyes, the more her heart broke and soared at the same time. She believed, lying in the bed naked with her, that Emma would truly do anything for her, now, and it didn’t necessarily have to be because of Henry. No, Emma had her own reasons for protecting Regina. Henry just happened to be one of them and he was something that they both loved.

Emma smiled at her. She didn’t know what Regina wanted from her fully and she didn’t care. If they only shared tonight, she would find a way to deal with it. She cared for Regina more than she wanted to admit. It was more than Henry that brought them together. He was the catalyst. But, they had fallen for each other on their own.


	10. Chapter 10

Regina woke up before Emma the next morning. She was surprised that it was six a.m. already. Her body was sore and tired, but she felt better than she had in years. Who knew that Emma could make her feel this way? She didn’t, but now, she wondered what would happen. She sat up and stared back at the blonde. Could they actually have a relationship? Regina wondered. She didn’t know if she would be able to handle one. She hadn’t really been in a relationship since Daniel and that ended, well, badly to say the least. Emma was special. She had gotten through to Regina, but she didn’t know if that would be enough. She wanted it, but she didn’t know if it was something that Emma would want.

Her feet hit the carpet of the hotel room. Suddenly, she remembered that her clothes were with the hotel dry cleaners. They should be ready by now and she needed them. She walked around the bed and to the desk. She dialed down to the desk and asked that her suit be brought up to their room.  
She waited for the soft knock at the door. She thanked the bell hop und gave him some money. She went into the bathroom, took another shower and dressed. She didn’t really want to meet Coraline and Emma’s friend, Will in the suit, but she didn’t know that she had another choice.

She knew that the Westin was a nice hotel, but she doubted that it had a clothier on site to help her. She wanted something to wear. She grabbed a notepad and a penned Emma at quick note telling her that she was going to find something to wear from a local clothier. She placed it by the bed, grabbed her cell phone and then gave Emma a kiss to her forehead. She hoped that she was back before she woke. If not, she knew that she would get a phone call soon after she woke.

She went downstairs and found the concierge. He was a nice man with graying hair and soft blue eyes. His accent was purely Bostonian and Regina found herself watching his lips to decipher most of what he was saying, but it was obvious that he wanted to help her get whatever it was she needed.

“Yes, Ms. Mills, I can help you. There are plenty of places that I could send you, but most of them aren’t open yet. Did you need something now?”

“Yes, I am afraid that I do. Money isn’t a problem. Can something be arranged? I have an early lunch appointment. It will be worth their time.”

“Give me a minute, Ms. Mills. Let me see if I can contact someone. If not, the earliest that I know of would be Saks. They open at ten, but I could try to get you an earlier appointment.”

“That sounds fine. I’ll just be waiting over there at the coffee bar. Thank you for your help,” she told him as she walked across the lobby to the small Starbucks.

She ordered a coffee black and got a small raspberry muffin. She sat down at a small table and enjoyed her quick breakfast. She knew that it would be enough to carry her through until their meeting with Coraline. She sighed. She was getting nervous and she didn’t know why. She began to try to figure out why she was so nervous about meeting her daughter, again, but outside of Storybrooke.

“Excuse me, Ms. Mills,” the concierge stated bringing her back to the here and now.

“Yes?”

“I got a hold of the concierge service and personal buyer at Saks. Her name is Veronica and she is willing to meet you in half an hour. Will that give you enough time for your appointment?”

“Plenty. Thank you. Now, I will just need to get there. Can you help with that?”

“Yes, Miss Mills, I can. Would you like a car or a taxi? I can get you either.”

“A car will be fine,” she replied.

“Yes, ma’am, I’ll call one right away,” he told her and then left her to her breakfast.

He came back a few minutes later. She smiled at him as she got off the stool at the table. She followed him to the door. He ushered her out and to the car.

“I’ve charged your car to the room, Ms. Mills. If you need anything else, just call me here at the hotel. I’ll call Veronica and let her know that you are on your way. Here’s my card,” he said, holding it out to her, after he got her settled in the car.

“Thank you, Mr. Madison. I am sure that I will be fine from here. Please let my companion know that I will meet her at our appointment as scheduled.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied and then he told the driver. “Saks Fifth Avenue and wait for her. She has the car for the day. If she needs anything you can’t find, have her call me.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Madison,” the driver stated and then pulled away.

 

Emma woke a few minutes later. She was suddenly cold and she couldn’t figure out why. She rolled over to find Regina gone. The covers were haphazardly thrown towards Emma but Regina’s side of the bed wasn’t made. She blinked a few limes and tried to orientate herself, but she had slept in her contacts and her eyes were dry. She got out of the bed, grabbed her small toiletries bag and ran to the bathroom. After she finished her business in there and taking care of her contacts, she walked back into the main part of the suite before she realized that Regina was not there.

She saw the note on the table and ran to get it. She read it three times before it clicked. Of course, leave it to Regina to go somewhere to find something else to wear. She looked at the clock. She still had plenty of time to get ready. She went back to her small duffel and grabbed some clothes.

She hadn’t really planned on staying overnight, but she always kept a change in the car. It was still a fall back from being a bounty hunter. Some of her habits didn’t make sense until they were needed, years of bounty hunting and being an orphan taught her how to survive her way. She grabbed her clothes without another thought and took a shower.  
She would wait another hour before she called Regina. She hoped that she found something she liked. She knew that Regina was nervous, but she didn’t understand why. They were getting Coraline to bring her home to Storybrooke. It wasn’t like they were getting at new kid from the orphanage.

Once she showered and dressed in her tight black jeans and light grey tank top, she flopped down on the bed. She looked down at her boots and decided to not put them on until she was about to leave. She grabbed the TV remote and started flipping through channels. She grabbed her cell phone and put it on the pillow beside her, waiting on Regina’s call.

Twenty minutes later, her phone rang. It wasn’t Regina, though, it was Will calling her. She wondered what her friend needed now. They still had two hours until they were supposed to meet for breakfast at the South Street Diner. She frowned, hoping that Coraline hadn’t snuck out in the night. She sighed and then answered her phone.

“Hello?”

“Emma?”

“What’s up, Will? Did she run? Did you lose her?”

“No, no, nothing like that,” Will said.

“Then, what’s wrong? Why are you calling me? What happened?”

“Nothing happened, per se. I was just wondering if we could move the meeting back an hour. Say we meet more for brunch or an early lunch. I don’t think that Coraline is going to be ready in time.”

“What did you give her?” Emma asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You drugged her so she wouldn’t leave, didn’t you? What did you give her? You had to have given her something that would give her that wicked hangover. What was it?”

“You don’t want to know,” Will told her.

“Tell me you didn’t roofie her.”

“I didn’t roofie her.”

“Are you just telling me that?”

“You told me to tell you that,” Will replied.

“Damn it, Will! I told you to keep her here, not fucking drug the hell out of her. So, did you or did you not give her some roofies?” Emma asked.

“I might have, but then again, I might not have.”

“Dear Jesus! Please don’t tell Regina that when we meet. She might bar-be-cue you, literally. Okay, fine, how about we meet at eleven and for the love of anything holy have the girl functional by then. You and I will discuss this later. I just...really...that is what you went with. I told you to never use those but on a mark. She isn’t a mark. She’s my fucking dau-...gah, I need to go. I need to not be talking to you right now. I’ll see you at eleven and you can tell Monty not to worry about coming over,” Emma told her hanging up.

She prayed that Regina never found out what happened. She knew that Will’s life depended on it. She sighed and dialed Regina. She didn’t know what else to do.

“Yes, Emma?” Regina asked answering the phone.

“You can take your time, now.”

“Why is that, dear?”

“Will just called. Evidently they got drunk last night. Coraline is hung over and won’t be ready in time. We’ve pushed back the meeting until eleven. I’ll go ahead and book us another night. I have a feeling that we aren’t going back tonight either. I’ll call Snow, too. But take your time. Get an extra outfit. Everything will be okay,” Emma told her, hoping Regina didn’t catch her lie, but still believed her when she told her things would be okay with Coraline like she promised from the beginning.

“And, why don’t I believe you, right now?” Regina asked her, sighing into her phone.

 

Will went back into her bedroom and tried to rouse Coraline. She cursed at herself for giving her the sleeping pills, but Coraline had all but drug her with to New York before she slipped it into her drink. She knew that Emma was going to be pissed. She didn’t know more than the fact that Emma was bringing Coraline’s mother with her, who happened to also be the Mayor of the town that Emma was sheriff. She shook her head. She knew that she was in deep and she could only hope that Emma would somehow get her out of this once they met up.

“Damn it, Rumple. When I said, I wanted a new life in a new land where no one knew me. This wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. You could have at least made me rich or something,” she mused as she stared down at Coraline.

Coraline finally stirred a little in the bed. She was already ready with two aspirin and a glass of water. She held them both out as a peace offering. Coraline sat up and looked at her. She reached out a tentative hand and took the pills. She tossed them in her mouth and sucked down the glass of water, to not only take the pills, but to quench her parched throat.

“What happened?”

“We went to the bar.”

“I remember that much. You told me that Emma and Mom were coming. You said drinking would make it better. Then why do I have this raging headache?”

“You kept telling me that you were going to New York City last night.”

“I know that. I still need to go. What time is it?”

“A little after nine,” Will told her.

“Shit, they’re here aren’t they?”

“In Boston, yes. Here, no. We are going to meet them for lunch. You’ll have plenty of time to get ready and be sober before we go.”

“You really aren’t going to let me get out of this, are you?”

“You came looking for answers. Emma has them. She and your mom are worried about you. You just left town with no word or warning. It just happened to be ironic luck that you ended up in my bed the night before. And, do me a favor and don’t bring that up with Emma. I’ll never be able to live that down,” Will told her.

“Trust me when I tell you that she isn’t going to want to know about that.”

“Oh, okay then. Well, they got delayed. You got drunk and I brought you home, here.”

“Really? I mean I drink a lot, but I don’t understand. I can’t remember anything except going to the bar. That isn’t normal is it?”

“It is if you were binge drinking like you were. I thought I might have to take you to the hospital for alcohol poisoning. That would have been a bitch to explain to your Mum,” Will said.

“You have no idea.”

“Look, I get it. Parents suck. You don’t want to deal with your Mum, but she must love you a lot to get Emma to bring her down here. Give her a chance. Talk to her. I am sure that whatever it is that is bothering the two of you can be worked out.”

“I don’t know that it can.”

“It can. Give it time and talk to her. By the way, why did you come to Boston to find out more about Emma? That is the only part of this entire situation that doesn’t make sense.”

“You’ll figure it out when you meet my mom,” Coraline told her as her head hit the pillow again.

“What the bloody Hell does that mean?”

“Things are not always what they appear to be and the stories that you are told as a child don’t always really have a happy ending,” Coraline stated.

“I know that.”

“Do you? Do you really? You might think that you do. But, trust me on this one; you have no clue what I am talking about. Your day is about to be shit storm of weird. And, trust me on that. Things are about to get crazy. This diner is public, so at least there won’t be any fireballs.”

“Fireballs?”

“Oh, yeah, fireballs.”

“I think you should take a shower. Maybe it will wake you up some more. Fireballs? Ha! Fireballs, she says. This I cannot wait to see,” Will said leaving her to get in the shower.

Will stared at the wall between her bedroom and the bathroom. She began to wonder who Coraline’s mother really was if she was so worried about fireballs. It just didn’t make any sense. No one in this world had magic, did they?

 

Regina entered the hotel room. Emma was still lounging on the bed watching TV. Regina regarded her as she went to the closet and put away her new clothes.

“Find something acceptable, Gina?” Emma asked her.

“It will do. And, I will ask that you don’t call me that. My name is Regina.”

“Yes, your majesty,” Emma replied.

Regina gave her a look and cocked an eyebrow at her. She came back into the room and sat on the end of the bed. Emma immediately moved closer to her. She actually came up behind her, wrapping her legs around her waist and pulling Regina back into her front.

“Relax, Regina. Will kept her here for us. She is going to meet us for an early lunch. Things are going to be okay,” Emma told her.

Regina leaned into her embrace and asked, “How can you be so sure?”

“I am not, but I have to believe that it will be. If I go into this thinking the worst, then it will happen. It becomes a self-serving prophecy and we both hate prophecies,” Emma replied trying to lighten the mood some.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Being here.”

“There isn’t anywhere to be,” Emma answered.

“You know what I mean.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Really, Miss Swan.”

“Emma.”

“Really, Emma, you don’t know what I mean?”

“Tell me,” she said as she rested her chin on Regina’s shoulder, holding her tighter.

“Thank you for coming with me. Thank you for not running when you found out the news. Thank you for caring enough about our future to put your fears to the side and come   
with me to bring our daughter home. Thank you for not pushing me emotionally when you know that I am not ready. But, most of all, thank you for being you. I don’t know that I would have been able to handle all of this on my own very well. I would have tried to find a way, but knowing that you are in this with me gives me comfort,” Regina told her.

“Well, I did know what you meant, then after all,” Emma said smiling and nuzzling her ear.

Regina turned her head to face her. The look of pain was obvious, but it didn’t make Emma’s smile falter. She surrendered to Emma’s touch and warmth.

“She hates us.”

“No, she doesn’t know us. She is running to find information and because she’s scared. We just have to be there for her now. We have to help her find out whatever it is she needs to stop this thing in the future. She came back for help and that is what we are going to give her.”

“How can you be so calm about this?”

“I am not calm, Regina. I am far from it. I am freaking out on the inside. I’ve gotten better hiding it. It doesn’t do anyone any good for me to freak out. I think I did enough of that in the hospital after Henry ate the turnover. I mean: my parents are Snow White and Prince Charming. I don’t think that there is anything else that could surprise me more. Then, Coraline came along. Now, I have to help a daughter that I didn’t know I had save our futures. What else can I do? I am not going to turn her away. I can’t. You can’t, either,” Emma stated.

“I know that,” Regina said standing up.

“Regina…”

“No, Emma, I don’t need to be coddled. I need to know that my daughter will be okay. I don’t know that. I am in a town that I don’t know and looking for a daughter I don’t know. How am I supposed to be okay with that?”

“You aren’t. There is no way anyone would be okay with that. We need to find her and let her know that we are here for her. We will do anything for her. She doesn’t believe that right now, and if her childhood was anything like mine, I understand that. Now, I need you to calm down and not be so emotional,” Emma told her, but still hadn’t moved from the bed.

“Why?”

“You tend to get all fiery when you’re emotional,” Emma stated.

Regina looked down at her hands. Magic was definitely different outside of Storybrooke and she knew that she didn’t need to cause a scene. Emma was right. She needed to calm down.

“I’m trying.”

“I know.”

“Do you want to talk?” Regina asked her.

“About what?”

“Us,” Regina answered quietly.

“You want to talk about what happened last night?” 

“I guess we should. Don’t you? It affects Coraline, doesn’t it? We are together and create her together. I think we should explore it ourselves so we aren’t surprised by anything that she tells us. I’m sorry. I am not good at this,” Regina told her.

“I know. I’m not either. Everything seemed so much easier before.”

“It was because I didn’t have to acknowledge my feelings.”

“I know. Henry brought us together. He showed us how to love again.”

“That he did,” Regina replied with a smile.

“What are we going to do?”

“What do you want to do?”

“I want to make you happy,” Emma replied, with a smirking smile, as she moved across the bed.

“Why?”

“Because out of everyone in that Fairy Tale town, you deserve some happiness in your life. You could make me happy. I could have my family. I would get everything thing that I want. What about you? What do you want?” Emma asked her.

“To be happy and in love.”

“Then, be that. Don’t let anything stop you. If you want it, take it. Stop waiting for it to come to you. Stop punishing yourself for the past. You aren’t the Evil Queen anymore. The people can see it. Hell, even Snow has remarked on it. I don’t know if I can make happy, but I know that I could love you if you gave me that chance. And, if Coraline is our daughter, then she is proof that at one point we shared a love a one point.”

“She does.”

“Can you try?”

“Can I try?”

“To let someone love you?” Emma asked her.

“Emma…”

“I am serious, Regina. Could you let someone love you? Will you try?”

“Everyone who loves me dies. I don’t want your blood on my hands, too. Maybe last night was enough. Maybe it could be enough. I don’t want you to suffer because of me,” Regina replied.

“You are the most stubborn, pig-headed woman I know,” Emma practically yelled at her in a huff.

She grabbed Regina by the arm and spun her around. She stared hard down into her mahogany eyes with her bright green. She saw the fear and the love dancing there. She couldn’t understand why Regina was still trying to keep her at an arm’s length. She was tired of hiding and tired of fighting her own stubbornness when it came to Regina. She kissed her.

She felt Regina surrender to the kiss. She held her close. She tried to make her understand.

“If I suffer you, Regina, it is because I want to,” Emma told her breaking the kiss.

“Emma…”

“No, you don’t get to do this. You don’t get to tell me you love me, let me love you, and then just walk away. I am done running. I am done not caring. I want you, Regina. There I said it. I want you. I want to be with you. Will you let me?” Emma asked her.

“Yes…”

“Good, because I don’t know what I would have done, if you’d said ‘no’.”

“What are we going to do?”

“What do you mean?” Emma asked her in response.

“About Coraline,” Regina stated.

“Well, first off, we are going to meet her and Will at the diner. You two are going to talk and somehow we or maybe just you, will convince her to come back with us to   
Storybrooke. Once we get back, I have no idea. I am just playing this by ear at the moment.”

“You told me that everything will be okay,” Regina huffed.

“It will be. She is our daughter. How hard could it be to convince her to come back?”

Regina cocked her eyebrow at Emma in reply. Emma smirked. She knew that if Coraline was anything like them it would be very difficult to get her to do anything that she didn’t want to do. And, as much as they both knew about their daughter, she was just like them. 

“I know. I know. She is our daughter. She is going to be difficult just like we are.”

 

“Snow, are you okay?” Ruby asked coming over to their table to refill their drinks.

“I…I…I’m not sure.”

“I think that she is just a little taken aback about the confession that Emma left her with. She is still reeling from the shock. I know that I am,” Belle told her.

“Emma’s confession?” Ruby asked, sitting down at the table.

“Yeah, about Coraline,” Snow accused her.

“Excuse me?” Ruby questioned.

“She told us that Coraline was her daughter, too,” Belle told her.

“I knew that.”

Snow just picked up her hot tea and drank it. Belle drank some of her water and watched the two friends. Ruby studied Snow, unsure of what to say.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t know.”

“That’s crap. You knew something. I know that you knew something,” Snow stated.

“I knew that Coraline was Regina’s daughter just the same as you did. I found that out about that the same time that you did. I figured out that she was related to Henry in some fashion before that, but I wasn’t sure. I couldn’t be sure. I didn’t have any information. I couldn’t tell you something that I didn’t know for sure myself. You know that magic is different here. Which is why I tried to get Emma to investigate it, but she didn’t understand the ramifications of what such actions would do or what I meant when I told her that Coraline smelled like Henry. She didn’t trust me and my wolf side enough to understand what I was trying to tell her, like you would have. However, Regina did. Regina is the one that investigated Coraline, I guess. Anything that I learned from that point was just information that Regina fed me and my curiosity, nothing more. Which by the way was the other day here in the diner,” Ruby told her.

“What about yesterday when you dragged her out of the diner?” Snow inquired.

“That had more to do with Regina and Emma and nothing to do with Coraline.”

“What does that mean?” Belle asked.

Ruby sighed. She didn’t want to get into this with them. She wanted Regina and Emma to tell them. There had to be some way that she could get out of the conversation. She looked around the diner. There was no help from any other patrons. Ruby was on her own.

“Coraline is both of theirs, Belle,” Snow stated like it answered the question.

“I know that, but what does that have to do with Regina and Emma being together?”

“She is of both of them,” Snow said a little more matter-of-factly.

“Then she is a magical baby?”

“That is one way of putting it,” Ruby replied.

“But, there is only one other instance of that happening that I know of…” Belle started.

“And, what was the cause of that baby?” Snow asked already afraid of the answer.

Belle’s eyes got wide. She looked to Ruby for help and then at Snow’s wondering gaze. She swallowed hard and whispered only loud enough for them to hear her.

“True Love.”

“That would mean that Emma and Regina…”

“They couldn’t be, could they?”

“They could and they might be,” Ruby stated. “But, you’ll have to let them make that choice for themselves. Too much has happened to the both of them for them to go down that road unwillingly. But, do yourselves a favor, and don’t judge too harshly. You might not like what others have to say if you disagree with their union if there really is even one.”

“I would never,” Belle started. “She is my sister. Well, she isn’t really, but she thought enough of me as a caretaker to wish to be my sister here. That in itself tells me that I   
cannot turn my back on the girl. Sister or not, she is partially my responsibility and I will care for her.”

“I’m not worried about you, Belle. I know that you won’t judge her harshly. I’m talking to Snow on that one. You’ve judged Regina harshly for her past actions, but she has done nothing since the curse ended but support you and Emma. I’m not counting the incident with her mother. You can’t blame her for that. Her mother, well…we all know what Cora is. Regina cares for Emma. She’ll do anything for her and Henry. If you can’t see that, you’re blind.”

“I am not denying that, Ruby, but she is my daughter. I just can’t… It’s Regina of all people. I don’t know if I can handle that,” Snow told her.

“Alright then. How about this? Do you remember who Regina was before your father died?”

“Yes.”

“Did you love her then?” Ruby asked.

“Like a younger sister…like she was my mother and then an older sister. She never treated me like a daughter. She treated me more like a younger companion and sister, even when she was angry with me. She never treated me ill until after Daddy died,” Snow stated.

“Then give her the chance to prove it to you again. She’s changed her ways. She supports the town. She’ll do anything to keep it alive and well. She’s done the same for your own grandson. Give her the chance to show you that she can love Emma,” Ruby told her.

“If Emma loves her, there isn’t much that you are going to be able to do, Snow. Emma is someone who loves fiercely. She isn’t going to give up Regina without a fight,” Belle stated.

“You’re right. I’ll give them a chance. I might not have to like it, but I’ll leave them alone.”

“That is all that Emma would ask of you.”

“I know. I am doing this for Emma, because I know how she’ll react if I try to forbid it. She is like her father in that manner,” Snow said.

“I think she is more like you than you realize,” Ruby told her and then left their table.

 

“We are almost there, Coraline.”

“Okay,” she replied.

“Are you sure that you are going to be okay with this?”

“No, I am not. There is so much information that I want to know and there is so much information that they want to know. I don’t know what to do. Things are difficult between us.”

“Just tell them the truth. Explain to them why you left and why you are upset. Tell them whatever you need to tell them. Let them question you. Then, question them. It is the only way that you are going to find out what you want to know. If you don’t give them this, you will never know whatever it is that you are looking for. This trip would have been for nothing.”

“I know that.”

“Come on. I’ll sit with you. It looks like there is a table there in the corner. Looks like the perfect place for us to sit. Come on,” Will told her, pulling her into the diner.  
They walked across the diner and took a seat. It was still going to be a few minutes before Regina and Emma showed up. Will knew that Coraline was nervous, but they were in a busy restaurant at lunch time. It was the perfect set up to not have a crazy interaction.

“Coraline, calm down it will be okay.”

“You don’t know my mother.”

“I am sure that she isn’t mad at you. I’m sure that she is just worried. You scared her by leaving. By the way Emma was talking, she was ready to tear Storybrooke apart to find you. Emma knows Boston. She knows me. It was just sheer dumb luck that we hooked up, Coraline. Just give her a chance to explain. If after that you want to run, I promise I won’t help them find you,” Will explained to her.

“I guess I should be grateful for that.”

“Emma can be convincing when she needs to be.”

“Don’t I know it.”

“If things weren’t that bad in Storybrooke, why’d you leave?”

“Because I need to know more.”

 

“You just need to know more? Know more about what? What could be so bad that you would have to leave town to find more information on it? You live in a small town. How much more information could you find out about your problem or whatever outside of town?” Will asked.

“I don’t know. I just needed to check on some things, put some things into perspective for myself, things that I couldn’t find out in town. You just wouldn’t understand.”

“Like what?”

“Who my father really is?”

“You don’t know who you father is?”

“Well, I do, but I don’t know anything about them as a person. I know their name. I know where they are from. I know the basics, but I don’t know them,” Coraline replied.

“And you came to Boston to find out about them?”

“Yes.”

“Did it ever occur to you to ask Emma for help? She used to be a bounty hunter. She can find people and dirt on them like the best of them. She would have been the first person I would go to in your situation, but that is just me. It’s your life. Do it how you want.”

“I would have, but there are some extenuating circumstances that prevented me from going to Emma. And, no, it has nothing to do with her being the town Sheriff. It has more to do with how close she is to my mother,” Coraline told her.

“Well, here comes Emma.”

“Are you going to stay?”

“I’m going to go talk to Emma. Stay here. I am sure that your mother will be here soon,” Will told her.

When Will looked up again and looked out the window, she saw Emma talking with a slightly smaller brunette. When the brunette turned around, she met Will’s eyes and Will had to maintain a sense of unrecognition. She turned and looked at Coraline, again. Her heart leapt into her throat and she had to not run out of the diner. 

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a spare key to her apartment. She pushed it across it across the table and to Coraline. When Coraline looked up at her with a strange gaze, she smiled and pulled out her phone. She faked a quick call to her office. When she was done, Coraline saw her fidgeting with her red-stoned, class ring. She looked like she needed to tell her something.

“I’ve got a case I need to deal with. Take the key. If things don’t go the way you’ve planned this afternoon, go back to my place. I’ll meet you there later. I’ll take you to New York myself. I promise. I need to go handle this,” she told her as she handed her a business card. “Call me.”

Coraline watched her run out of the diner through the side door and not the front door just as Emma and Regina walked in. She wondered what happened that made her lie about a case and needing to leave. Was there something that Will wasn’t telling her?

Emma and Regina found Coraline easily. They crossed the diner and sat down. Regina sat on the inside of the booth and Emma took the outer seat. She smiled at Coraline as she sat down.

“Mom, Emma.”

“Coraline,” Regina stated in greeting.

“Where’s Will?” Emma asked, looking around the diner.

“She said that she had a case to work.”

“Oh,” Emma stated, looking a little dejected that her old friend wasn’t there.

“She told me to tell you to call her,” Coraline lied. “She wants to hang out with you before you go back to Storybrooke. I think she missed you.”

“I’ve been a bad friend.”

“We all have,” Regina stated.

Emma leaned back. She knew that Coraline had lied about Will, but she couldn’t figure out why. It didn’t make sense. She decided to not push it. She was here for her daughter, not for herself. Coraline was her responsibility. 

“So…”

“Yeah,” Coraline said.

“Why did you run?” Regina asked, addressing the elephant in the room.

“I needed to know more.”

“More about what?” Regina questioned.

“Emma,” Coraline stated, looking down at the table and memorizing the pattern on it.

“You know who she is to you?” Regina asked her.

“Yes, I do. I’ve always know who she is to me. I’ve always known who my parents were.”

“And, you never told us?” 

“I couldn’t. There is so much that I can’t tell you. I have to get my information and find out how to get home. I didn’t think that I would be able to get to know you and find out about my family and heritage. It wasn’t a priority for me. Breaking the curse that I am under in the future is the only thing I am truly worried about.”

“Then, why did you come to Boston?” Regina asked her.


	11. Chapter 11

Coraline looked up at them. She couldn’t hide behind shyness. Neither of her mothers were shy. She needed to face this head on, like Regina would have. She needed to stop running and face her problems, like Emma learned to do. She needed to believe, like Henry. She needed to trust love, like Snow. She needed to be bigger than herself, like Charming. She needed to be the Swan Princess that she was born to be.

When she looked up, she saw Regina looking out the window. She could tell that something had caught her eye, but she couldn’t tell what it was. Whatever it was it passed and Regina turned back to her daughter. A smile crept across her face and she waited for Coraline to speak.

“I’m sorry I ran.”

“It is something that we do,” Emma replied.

“I know. I tried not to, but I needed to learn as much as I could as fast as I could. I didn’t know how to tell you both the truth. I was afraid. I am sorry,” Coraline stated.

“There is nothing to be afraid of, Darling. We want to help you. I’ll tell you whatever I can. I know that you are upset about what happens in your past, our future, but I can’t help if I don’t know everything that you can tell me. Can you tell us more about it?” Regina asked.

“I shouldn’t,” Coraline warned.

“But?” Emma asked.

“Wait, does she know?”

“Do I know what?”

“Did you tell her?”

“Calm down, Coraline. Let me tell you what we know so far and then you can feel in the rest. Does that sound like a good idea?” Regina asked.

Before Coraline could answer, a waitress came over and took their order. Emma and Coraline ordered a hot chocolate with cinnamon and Regina got a coffee. The waitress nodded and walked off. 

“Yes, Mom, that sounds fine,” Coraline answered.

“Once I figured out that you had magic, I confronted you about it. I saw the coat-of-arms tattoo and wondered who you were. I used the blood magic that is embedded in that tattoo to force you to tell me who you were and why you were here. I am sorry about that,” Regina stated.

“Tattoo?”

“I’ll explain it later, Dear,” Regina told Emma before continuing. “Once we talked, you confirmed that I was your mother. You told me that you served the three queens of the Enchanted Forest. I was surprised that you told me that Emma, Snow and I all ruled together and in peace. I didn’t have a complete picture at that point.”

“Yeah, I know. Then I got mad and had Tink conjure that dragon. That didn’t really work out well, now did it?” Coraline stated.

“No, it didn’t,” Emma replied, wondering what else she was going to find out today.

“Well, I am sorry for that. I didn’t mean to scare either of you. That wasn’t my intention. I was just angry and I needed to blow off some steam. Usually I had Ruby for that, but she doesn’t know me like that here and now,” Coraline answered.

“Can you tell me more about that?” Regina asked.

“Tell me what else you have figured out first…please, Mom.”

“Well, after the incident at the convent, I realized that Emma was your other mother. It took Ruby yelling at me for me to realize how deeply I cared for Emma. I had for a long time, but I’ve kept my feelings to myself. I didn’t think that she returned them. I didn’t want to start something that would end in disaster, like every other relationship I’ve ever had,” Regina said.

“Regina…” Emma started. 

“No, she needs to know the truth.”

“Fine, I’ll tell her then,” Emma started. “I followed Regina outside when Ruby confronted her about her feelings about me. I overheard the argument.”

“I didn’t want to tell Emma. I was scared. I was happy to suffer in silence like I had for years.”

“But?” Coraline asked, smiling like a goof at both of them.

“I busted out into the argument and made Regina talk to me. You had already run, so it wasn’t something that we could really get to the bottom of at the time. We were both worried about you. She confirmed that you were my daughter. I don’t know why I couldn’t see it. You do have Snow’s chin,” Emma told her.

“I know. Everyone that knew her tells me that. Does she know?” Coraline asked.

“Snow? That you are ours? Yes, Emma dropped that bombshell on her right before we left.”

“Ma, you didn’t,” Coraline stated.

“I did, Kiddo. I did,” Emma replied smiling at her calling her “Ma.” “So, what now?”

“Well, you both know that you are my moms. I seem to be the perfect blend of you both. I have mostly your coloring, Mom, but when I do magic, I tend to look more like Ma.”

“I noticed.”

“You did?”

“When I was healing you, your eyes turned green just like Emma’s. It shocked me to the core. I studied your face and your manners. Then, I realized that somehow you had to be related to Emma. You bear her resemblance as much as you do mine. The more I remembered about what you’d told me and what Ruby had deduced, the more it made sense to me.”

“That Wolf! Can’t get anything past her. But, I still love my Aunt Red.”

“We all do, Kiddo,” Emma added.

“I know. That is why you gave me to her. You know that she and Belle would protect me, raise me, teach me and remind me of who I was. They did your bidding until my twenty-five birthday. They kept me alive, taught me, told me who I was, but protected me from those who wanted to harm me because of my lineage and my right to the throne of the Enchanted Forest.”

“Someone wanted to harm you?” Regina asked, her heckles rising.

“Yes,” Coraline replied and the waitress brought their drinks.

“Ready to order, ladies?” she asked them.

“Yeah, can we get one large Chicken Caesar salad with dressing on the side, a bacon cheeseburger with a side of fries, and another bacon cheeseburger with a garden salad? Thank you. Oh, yeah, and some water all around,” Coraline answered her.

The waitress wrote down their order and nodded at Coraline. Emma looked at her slack jawed and Regina just smirked. The waitress turned to go, but turned around quickly to ask one more question before she put in the order.

“You want garden on both burgers?” she asked them.

“Yes,” Emma and Coraline answered together.

The waitress smiled at them, nodded, and left them table. She mumbled something about “coming right up.” Emma still watched Coraline wondering how well her daughter actually knew her. Regina just burst out into a small burst of laughter.

“I should have known that you knew what we would eat,” Regina stated. “I see that you actually like a little healthy food. I am assuming that the salad and the burger are yours, correct?”

“Yes, ma’am, they are. Belle and Red used to fight about what I would eat. They were always surprised that I would eat healthy one meal and completely badly the next. Belle used to laugh about it, something about nature and nurture. She told me that I was definitely your child.”

“I can see that from the Bookworm,” Regina replied.

“So, are you…have you…did you finally admit that you like each other?” Coraline asked.

“Yes,” Emma answered before Regina could.

“To expand on what you mother stated, yes, Coraline, we have. We finally talked last night. We admitted that we had feelings for each other and I have finally agreed to let someone in again. I am not sure how your grandmother is going to take the news, but your mother assures me that she will deal with her parents.

“I am not worried about them, too much though. You are here and you are ours. That has giving me enough hope to believe that Emma and I will be happy enough together. But, your presence and the news that we aren’t there for you, actually frightens me. Can you tell us more?”

“What do you want to know?” Coraline asked.

“Why don’t you start at the beginning?” Emma responded. “Cause, I am kinda out of the loop. I am coming into this late, it seems. I would like to know why whatever happened has caused you to run to Boston to find out more about me. Why couldn’t you just ask? I would have told you anything. I still will. I am not going to abandon you.”

“But, you will…” Coraline said flatly.

Emma’s face wrinkled in confusion. She wasn’t prepared for that answer. She knew from what little Regina had managed to tell her that Ruby and Belle had raised Coraline in their absence but there wasn’t much else that she knew. She wondered how much Regina actually knew.

“You’re angry about that. I can tell. Just tell me what happened, Kiddo. I want to help you. We both do. We want to be there for you. If you tell us what happens, maybe we can stop it.”

“I don’t know that you can. Nothing has stopped the Blackness yet. Not men, not magic, not even Ruby for all her attempts, she is the only thing that has fought it head on and lived.”

“The Wolf pup fought it and survived?” Regina asked.

“Yes, the day that we fled the castle. She took on a host of the Blackness and pushed them back. Then, she ran us to Rumple’s castle as fast as her wolf body could carry us,” Coraline explained.

“Okay, so let’s go back further than that.”

“Well, what little I know from before that day is I was born around the time that Henry is sixteen. It has been debated whether I was born here in Storybrooke or in the Enchanted Forest. That really doesn’t matter, because shortly before or shortly after, we are all back in the Enchanted Forest. Snow and Regina decide to split the kingdom. The fact that you both are together, they decide to make you a Queen in your own right. So the kingdom is ruled by the three of you. It was decided that Neal would take Snow’s kingdom. Henry would take Mom’s and I would take Ma’s,” Coraline stated.

“Wait? I end up being a Queen? And, I have my own kingdom?” Emma asked.

“That is another story, Ma. But, Neal is a fragile boy. He gets sick around his eighth birthday. I was barely three or four at the time, I believe. He dies. It is the beginning of the end. Snow became inconsolable. Charming, Gramps, tries his best, but he can’t get her to shake it. Mom finally gets mad enough about it and goes to Snow. I don’t know what was said to Grams. I only know what you wrote about it, Mom. It seems that you made Grams realize that Henry and I still needed her. So, did Ma. She moved in with us for a while.”

“Did she get better?” Emma asked.

“Eventually, yeah, she did. It took both you and Mom to bring her out of it. She finally returned home and Henry followed her. He was worried about her. He wanted to make sure that she made it. She did. She returned to her normal hopeful self and began annoying Mom again. It made Mom smile,” Coraline stated.

“What happened after that?”

“I don’t know what happened exactly. I know that Rumple and Belle had a falling out. It was massive and he lost the dagger. She left him and moved in with Mom. Red found out and came to stay with us for a while. They helped each other. It seems about that time that Granny passed. They became really good friends…and then, really, really, good friends,” Coraline told them.

“Belle and Red?” Emma asked.

“Grief does things to people. I don’t think that they became really, really, good friends until after the battle though. They were more worried about the kingdom and the both of you, not each other at that moment. I think that Belle had to realize that Ruby loved her, first, and that Rumple was always going to want power over love. It was a hard pill to swallow, but she did it.”

“I can see that,” Emma replied.

Regina watched them. They were more alike that she wanted to admit, but she did love them both. They were her girls and she would do anything to protect them. The fact that she allowed Ruby and Belle into her home to be with Coraline spoke of the respect and the relationships that Regina would foster with the two women in the coming years. Relationships she knew that Emma helped her foster so she could turn from the darkness and into the light. Emma had been a catalyst in her life since the day Henry brought her to Storybrooke. She wondered what else Emma would do for her and she looked at Coraline. She gave them both a second chance at a well-loved family and a happiness that they had both only dreamed about.

“You really are my Savior,” Regina stated.

Coraline and Emma stopped talking. They turned to look at her. The tears of happiness were forming and Emma pulled her into a hug. Coraline smiled. Her mothers were finally together. Emma saw the grin grow on Coraline’s face.

“So, tell me…tell us what happened after that,” Emma stated bringing the conversation back.

“The Blackness came. Before you ask, I don’t know what started it. I don’t even know what it really is. I only know the devastation that it created and still continued to cause for us all.”

“Devastation?” Regina asked suddenly returning back to the conversation.

“Yeah, the Blackness came with men and mist and ravaged the land. Burning and corrupting the lands and fields. Snow raised an army, as did you, Mom. The men went out to fight. There was death on both sides but no clear winner. The wars raged for years. I was a still really little. I was kept away from it. You both decided that I didn’t know about it. You were trying to protect me from it all,” Coraline.

“But the battle came to us?” Emma asked.

“What happened, Darling? Tell me what you can. I know that you were young but you have to remember something about it. It doesn’t matter how small the memory or idea. It can helps us, help you,” Regina told her, reaching out to take her hand.

Coraline let her hold her hand for a few seconds. She pulled back when she saw the waitress coming with their food. Regina seemed upset with her about it until she saw the waitress in her peripheral. She removed her hand from the table. They waited until the waitress was done putting the food on the table. 

“So, where was I?” Coraline asked stealing a fry from Emma’s plate and eating it.

“The battle had come to you,” Emma stated, silently laughing as Coraline took another fry.

“Yeah, it did. Snow and Charming took up arms and started battling towards the Winter Castle. Emma, well Ma, and Henry suited up to protect it. Charming made it through first. Snow did her best, but Grams couldn’t beat through the Blackness. Charming and Emma went out to go get her and bring her to the castle. The men that had fought through the Blackness were taken in, fed, cleaned, and healed.”

“Were there a lot?” Regina asked.

“Not as many as you would have liked,” Coraline stated.

“Did we get to Snow?” Emma questioned, hanging on to every words she spoke.

“No, you didn’t.”

“What happened?” Regina inquired.

“I am not sure exactly. Henry and Charming went out together. You didn’t want him alone. Emma, you went looking for Snow. I don’t know what happened but I know that you got separated from Henry and Charming. Henry saw you fall from what I could gather later from Red. She was tearing across the battlefield trying to get to you. She never got you.”

“I died?”

“You did. Red went back to Snow. They tried harder to get to you and the castle. Snow and Charming weren’t going to leave you on the field. Red broke through the lines and managed to get to the castle. Charming and Henry got to where you fell they couldn’t find your body.”

“Couldn’t find the body?” Regina asked.

“I don’t know what happened to it. I know that Ruby went out a lot looking for you and the rest after we retreated, but she never found anything. She kept going out and kept coming back without anything. She never stopped though. She was determined that she would find you. It kept her going, I think. It gave her something to do when the world seemed bleak.”

“So, what happened that pissed you off so much about that day? I know that it must have been this that set your anger in motion. So what else happened that day?” Regina asked.

“I was in lessons with Belle and Mom. We were in the main room of the castle. It was just off the throne room. We all spent most of the time in there.”

“Do you remember the lesson?”

“I think it was something to do with the Enchanted Forest and history.”

“I am sure that was interesting,” Emma stated, quietly.

“It was when Aunt Belle was teaching it. She had such a passion for it. I know that it is why Mom picked her to be my main teacher. Snow started to teach me how to use a bow. Henry was better at it, though. Charming and Henry started teaching me how to fight. I went to classes with them and Ma. We all learned to fight together.”

“Did you learn magic?” Regina asked.

“I did.”

“I assume that I was teaching you that, Darling,” Regina added.

“Yes, you, Belle and Emma were working on helping me with it. I wasn’t that good yet. I was just beginning to show any capability with it. I was sitting at the table with Belle and Mom.”

“Who came in?” Emma asked, realizing that Coraline was about to have a flashback.

“Gramps and Henry came into the room. They were covered in grime and muck. They were sad. I could tell that something major had happened. I didn’t know it, but you were already dead. They were coming back to report to Mom.”

“What did they say?” Regina asked.

“They brought you Emma’s enchanted sword. The presented it to you in place of her body. They couldn’t find it. They tried. They battled and fought but they couldn’t find it. Red would later tell me that your body basically vaporized. She thought it was magic that took you away from the field and that is why she never stopped looking.”

“She just vaporized?” Regina asked, like there was something more to it than that.

“The body was gone. There was nothing to bring home. Henry and Charming were devastated. Mom was angry. I don’t know how angry, but she was pissed. I was wrapped around her leg. Belle pulled me away and held me. Your hands turned to fire. It scared me. I had only seen Mom get mad like that once. I didn’t know what to do. I started crying. Belle held onto me and didn’t let me go,” Coraline stated.

“I went onto the battlefield, didn’t I?”

“You followed Emma into death. Charming and Henry gave me items. They gave me love and followed you. Everyone went out onto that field to die. Red came charging in at the last minute. She told us that Snow wouldn’t make it through until the morning. For whatever reason the tide seemed to be turning, it looked like we would actually save the castle and win the field.”

Emma could see the tears forming in Coraline’s eyes. She wanted to hold her daughter in that moment and let her know that she loved her. That she would always be there for her, but she knew that it would be the truth. She died trying to protect her family. It would be the way that she wanted to go, but now, she could see that it would hurt Coraline too much. She would find a way to stay alive. She would start training now. She would have to find a way off that field.

“I’ll find a way,” Emma told her, and she meant it with every fiber of her being.

“We all will,” Regina stated, taking Emma’s hand. 

Coraline watched them. She knew that they were together. She was happy for them. She was happy for all of them. She had her family, now, and she could see why Emma would go charging into the fray, sword drawn, ready to defend them all, even unto death.

“I sent you away from Red and Belle to protect you and followed Emma into death.”

“Yes, you did. We fled the castle and you all charged into the field. When we were about out and into the tunnels under the castle, the Blackness had broken through the lines and was in the castle. They were upon us. We didn’t know what to do. Red was in her wolf form and she was ready to defend us. She kept pushing Belle and me down the tunnels. But, Belle wouldn’t leave her. She wasn’t going to let the wolf die for her. They were going to both get me out.”

“You said earlier that Red did something that pushed them away or defeated them. Can you describe it? Do you know what it was?” Regina asked.

“Not really, I can’t really remember much of that day. Just the tidbits that Belle and Red have filled in. I had nightmares about it for years, it seems. Belle told me that you pushed them back for us before you died. Red told me on a hunting trip that it wasn’t true, but I wasn’t to let Belle know that I knew that. She didn’t want Belle to be upset. She told me that there had been a big blinding light and the darkness was pushed back. She said that it came from an amulet that you gave her. I don’t believe that is what happened, either.”

“Then what do you remember?” Emma asked her around a bite of burger.

“I remember Red ready to fight, her heckles and haunches bunched up and ready. I remember the light, but it didn’t come from Red or Belle. It came from nowhere. But, it was so strong it pushed back the Blackness.”

“A blinding light?” Regina asked.

“Yeah, bright and white. I’ve never seen anything like it, before or after. But, Belle and Red both have told me different stories about it. I don’t know what that means, but that is really the only part of the story that differs besides their different sides leading up to our exodus. I don’t know what it means at all, but that is the day that I lost everything, even my name.”

“Your name?” Emma asked, plucking up a fry and throwing it in her mouth.

“Yeah, my name. It was deemed too important and I had to be hidden. It seems that the Blackness started seeking me out. It was thought that I was the light to its dark. It needed to control me. It needed to know where I was. Supposedly, I am the only thing that can defeat it.”

“Then, why are you here?” Regina asked.

“Because I don’t know how to defeat it. I have no formal training in magic or with weapons. Red taught me what she could, but she isn’t Charming or Snow, Henry or Emma. Belle tried to teach me magics and other things but she wasn’t you, Mom. She couldn’t teach me to control it. She used books and journals that you had given her and not hidden in blood magic. And, even those that you did, I could read to her or write out for her to translate for me. It didn’t help much. You already know that I don’t have control. I tend to run from my problems. Hence why I am in Boston or here for that matter. I ran away from Red and Belle because…”

“Yeah?” Emma asked, as Regina squeezed her knee hard.

She gave Regina a look, but didn’t say anything. Her heart was breaking for the kid, but she was her kid. They needed to know as much as they could. The Future be damned, Emma was going to save her coming family and she was going to be there to enjoy it.

“Well, because…damn it, I was tired of hiding. My given name isn’t Coraline. Belle and Red came up with that once we got to Rumples. The Cora is for…well, your mother, Mom, Cora. And, the line is from the elongated form of your name, Ma. You’re Emma, but they didn’t want to name me Emmeline. So, they blended them into Coraline. That way I was still carrying my lineage without too many of the masses knowing my true identity,” Coraline explained.

“What did we name you, my Little Princess?” Regina asked, her heart in her throat.

“Remy.”

“Remy?” Regina asked.

“I get it,” Emma answered.

“You do?” Regina asked.

“Yeah, we named her after us,” Emma replied.

“How do you get that out of Remy?” Regina questioned.

“Regina and Emma, but Remma doesn’t sound good. Remy is pretty. I also doubt that you would have let me name her Remington. I would have, though. I like the name. Sounds like we compromised on it,” Emma explained.

“You did,” Coraline said with a chuckle.

“Darling, what is your real name?” Regina asked.

“I am Princess Remy Aurora Swan of the Winterlands,” Coraline answered with a mock bow, well a much of a mock bow that she could make in the bench seat of the booth.

“Remy Aurora? I have no idea where we got that name, but I am not sure that I would have agreed to it. Who named you?” Regina questioned.

“You did, Mom.”

“I did?”

“Yes, about three days after my birth. You had to recover. I was born in the early morning and that is where you picked Aurora. Evidently Emma, well, Ma, had been playing with first names. You couldn’t tell her no when came at you with Remy. When she told you it was for both of you, it stuck. I think it was more of the fact that she had been calling me Remington for months before my birth,” Coraline stated.

“Really?” Regina asked, cocking an eyebrow at Emma.

“According to your journals, Emma took care of your every whim while you were pregnant with me. She was so excited that you were having a child that she didn’t want anything to spoil the time for either of you. She decided somewhere along the way that if she had a daughter that she was going to name her Remington. When Snow used the necklace over your hand and swung for a girl, she started calling me Remington. You told her that you weren’t going to let her name me after a gun company. So, her explanation for Remy worked for you.”

“I doubt that,” Regina replied.

“I can be very convincing when I need to be,” Emma stated.

“Oh, I know that, Dear. But, I would like to think that I saw through your explanation and still told you no to naming our daughter Remy. I did name Henry after my father and it is a strong name,” Regina told her.

“Okay, so you want to name our daughter Cora? Or, would you prefer Snow? We both know that either of those choices is out for both of us. Remy would be a logical choice,” Emma countered and took a big bite of her burger.

Regina sat back in the booth and thought about Emma argument. She was right. She couldn’t ever see herself naming her daughter after her own abusive mother. She feared what would happen to the child if she did. And, there was no way in Hell that she would name her after Snow. They had become friends, again, but there was still so much between them that would prevent Regina from naming her own daughter Snow. 

“You have very valid points. I’ll have to think about it. Now, that we know that we are having a daughter, we can plan a name,” Regina told them.

“Can I say something about that?” Coraline asked.

“Sure, Darling, go ahead,” Regina stated.

“I kinda like being Remy.”

Emma laughed. She shot Regina an “I told you so,” look. When Regina shot her back an equally damning look, Emma just picked up her water and took a drink. 

Coraline smiled at their interactions. It was just as she remembered. They were cute and now, seeing it as an adult did her heart good. It was starting to ease her anger towards them. This was what she’d missed between them. She had never seen the love between them really like this. She couldn’t help herself. She gave them a big grin and kept eating. She couldn’t help but stare at them while they continued their silent argument with just looks.

“I wish I’d seen more of that when I was little,” Coraline slipped out before she drank some water from her glass.

Emma caught the phrase and turned to face her. She could see the loneliness in her eyes. She’d had it as a child. Henry only had it when he was mad at both Regina and herself. But, to see it in another child’s eyes broke Emma’s heart further.

“We will do our best for you, Coraline. I promise you that. We will always find each other.”

“I know that, Ma. It’s a Charming thing. And, usually I would believe you, but I know what happens in the future. You go fight and never come back. First Ma, and then Mom, Gramps, and Henry, I don’t have you in the future.”

“But that is why you are here, Coraline. We are going to find a way. We always do.”

“They really do always find a way to win, Coraline. It is nauseating. But, in this case, I will get onboard with Charming mentality. We are going to figure out how to defeat the Blackness and we are going to be a family. I am not going to let you go. I will fight for us all,” Regina said. 

“I can only hope.”

“That is why you are here, isn’t it? To find a way to stop it from happening? Then, we will find a way. But, Coraline, why did you come to Boston?” Emma asked.

“I was trying to find more about you. I figured if I knew what made you, well, you, then I would be able to know about my Ma. If I knew more about my Ma, then maybe I could convince you not to leave us and then we would be together. It is a selfish wish,” Coraline replied.

“It is selfish, but I understand it. I don’t want to leave you, Coraline. But, I will defend my family. I just found them not to long ago and I am not willing to lose any of them. And, that includes you now, too. Do you understand that?” Emma asked. 

“What about Neal?”

“Now, that we know he dies from an illness, we can prepare for it. I will brew some tinctures and potions in preparations for him. I will talk with Snow about casting some spells of protection for the lad. I will not let this family fall apart. I will not lose my family, again, Coraline. Henry and you are all I have left. I am not going to lose you without a fight. I cannot. I will not,” Regina told her firmly.

“But, that is the problem, Mom. You do fight, both of you do, and you both die. I understand that your love for us means that you will fight to the death for us, but that means I will still lose you. I came back here to stop that from happening,” Coraline stated.

“And, we will. We will fight and we will live this time. We will find a way.”

“We will find a way,” Emma pledged as well.

“I hope that you can, Mom and Ma. I hope that you can. I want my family.”

 

Will watched them from across the street. She hoped that Coraline was happy with her family. She knew that family was important. She just wondered if Regina knew how special her daughter really was. If she’d known who Coraline was, she wasn’t sure that she would have helped her. Will was Emma’s friend and she wondered what Emma was doing with Regina. It was odd that Emma would call her to find Regina’s daughter. 

Coraline was a mystery in herself. She was almost Emma’s age, but she favored Regina and she claimed to be Regina’s daughter. She didn’t understand it, but Rumpelstiltskin was known for doing random things just because he felt like it. She wondered if the Dark One had anything to with the fact that Coraline was an adult and not a child. 

Will didn’t miss the Enchanted Forest. She’d come her on her own free will curtesy of Rumple’s spell and a portal. She’d been her long enough to know magic was involved with the situation but she was far enough removed to want nothing to do with it. She cared for Emma, but she didn’t know that she could help her anymore. She didn’t want anything to do with Regina if she didn’t have to and she couldn’t figure out if she really had to. 

So, she would wait. She would watch them and wait. She didn’t know if she would follow them to Storybrooke. She wanted to spend time with Emma, but it seemed like Storybrooke wasn’t a place that she needed to be. If Regina and Coraline were from Storybrooke, then Emma must know about magic and the Enchanted Forest. She was the law enforcement of the small town. Will wondered what her connection to the Evil Queen and her town her was. 

She ran her hands over the red gem stoned ring on her left hand. She left the Forest to find a better place, a place where she didn’t have to worry about who she was and why she was there. She had run away from death and destruction. She’d run away from responsibility.

“Well, my Queen, it seems that you have found the last of the Vulcannonians. I will not let you tame me like you did the rest. I cannot afford to lose myself to you, again, Regina. I can’t.”

She twisted the ring around her finger. It burned slightly like it always did, but she refused to take it off. Things were different in this world, but some things were the same. She watched them and wished that she could be there with them. She wanted to be with them. 

She missed Emma. She cared for Coraline more than she wanted at this point. She didn’t know what she was going to do. She grabbed her phone out of her jacket and checked the time. She had barely been gone for thirty minutes. She needed to move on and get away, especially before Emma or Coraline spotted her across the street. 

Holding her phone in her hand, she walked out of the shop and headed up town towards her flat. She thought about texting Coraline while she was walking home, but she decided against it. She didn’t want Emma coming to try to find her.


	12. Chapter 12

“Is there anything else that you can tell us?” Emma asked, mentally trying to remember it all.

“Not that I can think of right now. That is the day that is burned into my brain. I can’t forget it no matter how much I try. I think that Belle even tried a forgetting spell at one point when I was young to help me with the nightmares, but it was only temporary.”

“You can’t forget it?” Regina asked, rather intrigued with this bit of information.

“No, no matter what I do. No spell, injury, relic or potion can make me forget that day for longer than a week’s time. It is rather annoying to remember it so drastically every time I try to forget it. It is like my brain or my magic keep it preserved for some reason. One in which they have decided not to share with me,” Coraline told them.

“Would you be willing to let me try?” Regina asked her.

“I can’t see where it will hurt anything.”

“I’ll do some research. I’ll need you to come over so that we can discuss what you have already tried, that way I can rule it out. Plus, I don’t want to hurt unnecessarily if I can help it.”

“I know that, Mom. I understand the precautions. We need to find a way to get me back as well. Once I find my answers or whatever I can find out to use against the Blackness, I need to go back. I can’t stay here. It doesn’t matter how much that I want to stay or how much you want me to stay. We all know that I can’t stay here.”

Regina and Emma both took an uneasy drink of their tea and set the glasses back down. Coraline watched them wondering what they were thinking about in that moment. She eyed them and Emma broke first. She somehow knew that Emma would tell her anything if she asked, no matter how painful or hurtful. She wouldn’t try to sugarcoat things to protect her.

“There isn’t a way back,” Emma stated.

“What do you mean that there isn’t a way back?” Coraline questioned angrily. “There has to be a way back. I can’t be stuck here. If I am it will change the entire timeline. This cannot be happening. There has to be some way back.”

“There isn’t,” Regina replied.

“There has to be,” Coraline countered again.

“The only way back is the way you came and you don’t know how you did that, so there is no way back. Unless you can pick out which spell it was that brought you here, we can’t help you. And, just to throw a big kink in that plan, the only person who ever created a time warp spell that worked was your Aunt Zelena and she didn’t make it,” Emma replied.

“Emma is the only one who has successfully gone through and come back through a time portal and she isn’t the one that cast the spell. We really can’t help you in this matter. I am sorry.”

“What did Zelena use to open it?”

“Kid…”

“What did she use?” Coraline begged.

“My heart, your grandfather’s courage, your uncle Neal, and she tried to use Rumple’s brain.”

“Well, I guess that isn’t going to work. I sincerely doubt that Grams is going to just give me Neal. Plus, I am sure that it took an immense amount of dark magic to even begin to open a time portal. I am not really comfortable examining that side of myself,” Coraline stated.

“I would prefer it if you didn’t,” Regina told her.

“Can we still look for a way? Surely the fairies have something that they can do? I mean, it doesn’t hurt to look, does it?” Coraline asked them.

“No, Kiddo, it doesn’t. I just don’t want you to think that we are trying to keep you here. I mean I would love for you to stay, but I understand the importance of you getting back. We’ll keep looking thought. It is kinda what we do,” Emma told her.

“I know that. We don’t give up, even when it looks really bleak. I think Mom refers to it as the Charming Curse. It doesn’t matter how bad things get we find a way to make things happen.”

“We do,” Emma replied.

“You certainly do, Dears,” Regina answered.

“I’m sorry…”

“Oh, Coraline, as much as I despise your grandparents some days, it is an endearing quality to have. At least they have welcomed me into the family somewhat. I can’t tell you how many times since I have changed my path from darkness that I have been thankful for their never ending optimism. It was refreshing, especially after everything that happened with my own family. I am glad that you had people around you that loved you, that cared enough about you to risk their lives to protect you, and that you had love from someone besides us after we died.”

“Mom…”

“No, Coraline, you don’t have to have to apologize for being angry. I understand it. I…well, my upbringing wasn’t ideal and unfortunately for your Ma, I caused her to have a less than ideal and loving upbringing. I hope that you felt loved and wanted as a child.”

“I was until you were gone,” Coraline stated.

“Did Belle and Red not love you?” Emma asked.

“They did, but they weren’t you. I wanted you. I wanted to be able to crawl into bed with you in the middle of the night when a storm raged outside. I wanted to be able to learn with you both. I didn’t get that. I was…”

“I get it, Coraline. I do. We are here now to help. We are going to do everything we can for you,” Emma told her, reaching across the table and taking her head.  
Coraline smiled at her and didn’t pull away from her. She stared at her mothers and wondered what life would be like with them, now. Emma met her gaze and held for a long moment.

“Remember, I didn’t get my parents until I was older, too.”

“I know. Grams and Gramps were good to me. But, the difference is that you still have your parents as an adult. I don’t have that. I never got that. I got you both for about five years. I know that you didn’t have them when you were younger,” Coraline started.

“I didn’t have real parents until I was twenty-eight. I wonder around the world thinking that I was never wanted, Coraline. I didn’t know why they gave me up, only that they did. I’ve spent years trying to deal with that. You knew that you were wanted. You had love,” Emma said.

“You gave up Henry though,” Coraline replied.

Regina squeezed Emma’s hand hard to keep her from saying anything. She eyed her daughter with disdain, but waited a minute to calm herself before she said anything. And when she did, she continued to hold Emma’s hand letting her know that she would back that decision as long as they both could speak about it.

“Your Ma gave Henry up because she had to, not because she wanted to do it.”

“Yeah, like Grams.”

“No, not like Grams, Coraline. Emma didn’t have a choice. Snow did. She could have kept the child and eventually she would have broken the curse. That is the source of resentment between them that they still have issues with today and I sure that it will remain that way for years. However, Emma gave up Henry because she was in jail. She couldn’t keep him there. She had no family to care for him. She had no one who could come claim him. She gave him up in the closed adoption because she knew that he would have a better chance of having a forever home that way. And, he did. It might have been fate or it might have been Rumple’s insane genius that I ended up with Henry, but that didn’t matter to me. I had a son. I had a family. I wasn’t going to lose it. Unfortunately for Emma when she did come back into Henry’s life, I made their lives miserable. Henry has forgiven her for giving him up because he understood why she did and he also believes that it was part of her destiny,” Regina told her.

“He does have the heart of the truest believer,” Emma added.

“He does. He never gave up on us. He never will,” Coraline replied.

“But, you are still angry with us?” Regina asked.

“Not as much as I was. I am starting to realize that you did what you did to protect the kingdom and me. It doesn’t matter how I feel. I still won’t have you. But, I’ll remember what I had and this time together if I find a way back,” Coraline stated.

“We will endeavor to do what we can,” Regina added.

 

Will tore through her apartment. She knew what she was looking for and she didn’t know how much time she would have before Coraline would return. And, if she returned quickly, she could only hope that she wouldn’t bring Regina and Emma with her.

“Fireballs…” Will stated with a laugh.

She ripped open a closet. She grabbed a small bag and started throwing clothes into it. She made sure that she had a few changes. She rubbed the red ring on her fingers. She reached into the closet and pulled all the blue shirts that she had. They went into the bag. 

“If you only knew how intimately I really knew your mother…”

Will stopped herself from thinking about those times in the castle. She didn’t want to think about the longing to belong in a world she wasn’t from but was destined to be in. Nothing about the witch queen or her step-daughter made any sense to her. Neither did the way her half-sister lived in hiding of her true self, but that was a whole other story.

“Oh, how the writers in this world got the stories wrong,” she mused.

There were so many things that she could have told the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen that would have made them blush more than their cautionary tales. Oh, yeah, the truth in their stories was often stranger than the fiction of the men wrote about. They had no clue was they were writing was wrong. They didn’t have a first-hand account. They thought they were writing fables, not fiction based on truth. 

She laughed. She wondered what everyone thought about their stories, or if they even knew about them. Regina must have some inkling if she was a functioning member of this world’s society. 

“What was it that Emma and Coraline both called her? Ah, yes, mayor…she is mayor of the sleepy town of Storybrooke. And, Emma is their sheriff. I wonder if Emma knows who her boss really is. I would so, considering she knew that she was Coraline’s mother…but still…”

She shook her head. She couldn’t stay and have Regina find her. She had abandoned that post many years ago and she was not looking forward to the Queen’s wrath. 

“If she is here, I wonder if Rumple came, too,” she mused. 

She didn’t want to think about the imp being in this world, especially if he had magic. But, she wondered why he would allow himself to come to this world. It had no magic. She knew that first hand. But, she enjoyed that fact immensely as well. It was hard enough being Vulcannonian in the Enchanted Forest and trying suppress certain urges. Here it was easy. There was no magic calling to her blood. The moon didn’t phase her. It was only an ill-fated trip back from Australia to California that caused her to be lost and fighting to survive on some island in the Pacific. Her magic called to her then, but it was just strong enough to help her home. Since then, she hasn’t mourned the loss of it. She has actually rejoiced.

Well that was until Emma left Boston. She’d lost faith in man again. Emma, while not a romantic liaison, was a friend that kept her grounded and their years together served to help her deal with her “specialness.” There were times that she thought about telling Emma who she really was and why she couldn’t really get hurt, but it didn’t seem important enough to make Emma run away. And, she knew that she would run. Who wouldn’t? No, she just kept living and surviving in the world. But, for the same reasons that she came to this realm, she couldn’t make herself be happy. There was something that she was missing. She wanted more.

 

“So, Coraline, are you going to come home with us?” Emma asked.

Regina held onto her leg, not sure that she was ready for Coraline’s answer. They were her mothers, but now, they knew more about why she acted the way she did. There was so much that they didn’t understand or know and they both knew that it would take time. Regina just hoped that she would come back with them to Storybrooke so they could begin doing their research together.

“I need to go to New York,” she answered.

“When?” Emma asked.

“I don’t know, but I need to go.”

“I’ll take you,” Emma offered.

“Why?” Coraline asked befuddled by her offer.

“Because, I know New York and you don’t. I am your mother, too. Oh, yeah, I will worry about you until you come home. And, most importantly, because I can,” Emma stated.

“I don’t understand.”

“What is there to understand, Coraline? You want to go to New York, then I’ll take you. It is very simple,” Emma told her.

Regina held fast to Emma’s hand under the table. She could feel Coraline pulling away, but she could hear that Emma was going to fight to keep her. Her heart melted all over again for her new lover. Emma was going to fight for their family. She would, too.

“We could make a trip of it,” Regina offered.

“A trip?” Coraline asked.

“Yes, it would be good to take a vacation. I am sure that Henry would love to go with us. He and Emma lived there for a year together. I am sure that there are things that he misses from there,” Regina stated.

“Are you sure?” Emma asked her, turning in the booth.

“Yes, I am sure. It would be good for both of you. You could finally get some closure with Neal’s apartment. It might good for all of us as a family,” Regina stated.

“If you’re sure,” Emma started.

“I am, Emma. It would be nice to visit somewhere that I have never been as well. While you had the freedom to adventure around the country during the curses, I did not. I was always in Storybrooke. This is only the second time that I’ve been to Boston,” Regina answered.

“And the first?” Emma questioned.

“Was to get Henry,” Regina replied.

Emma’s brows scrunched up in confusion. She’d had Henry in Phoenix while she was in jail. She didn’t understand how Henry made it all the way to Boston before Regina got him. She had been under the impression that Regina got him right after birth.

“Don’t fret about it, Dear. I am the only mother besides you that Henry has ever known. I picked him up from the adoption agency that Rumple worked with to get him. I didn’t know that he wasn’t from Boston until I got him. All I asked Rumple for was to find me a child.”

“You weren’t specific?” Coraline asked, starting to feel Emma’s frustration with the topic.

“No, I really didn’t. The imp thought I was coming to him to help me in procuring a child by nature means at first. I would have never asked him for that. No, I knew that he was good at getting things through curse. He retained some of his memories and identity. He had no magic and couldn’t attack me. And, if he didn’t want to do something that I asked of him, all he had to do was ask me: ‘please’.”

“That is why he said that after the curse broke,” Emma murmured.

“Said what, Dear?” Regina asked.

“That your ‘pleases’ had lost their punch.”

“Yes, because he couldn’t refuse my ‘pleases.’ I put that into the curse. He could defy me as long as I never said ‘please’ to him,” Regina stated rather smugly.

“You said please for Henry, didn’t you?” Emma asked.

“I did.”

“And, Rumple being Rumple found out somehow that Henry was Ma’s and made sure to get him for you once he knew that he was up for adoption?” Coraline asked.

“He did.”

“And the rest in history now,” Emma added.

“Yes, Dear, it is,” Regina replied.

“So, it’s settled then, we’ll all go to New York?” Coraline asked.

“Yes, Darling, it is. We need to go back to Storybrooke first though. I need to make sure that your Grams hasn’t burnt down the town. Also, I want to talk to Ruby. I need to make sure that she is okay with us being gone longer than a few days. Plus, we will have to get Henry.”

“I think that I would like to talk to Grams,” Coraline added.

“Are you going to tell her about Prince Neal?” Regina asked, concerned for Emma and Coraline.

“No, not yet. I think that I can help her learn to deal with you two being an item. Don’t get me wrong, I love Grams, but she is a little temperamental when it comes to the two of you. Trust me when I tell you that she’ll come around and when she does, she’ll become your biggest advocate. She just needs time. She needs to know that you aren’t going to hurt Emma,” Coraline said.

“I have never directly hurt, Emma.”

“You did try to poison me,” Emma added.

“That was the only time. The rest of the time I was just trying to get you to leave. I never went out of my way to hurt you like I did your mother,” Regina quipped.

“I know.”

“And, why is that, Mom?” Coraline asked with a knowing smile.

“If you are smiling like that, Coraline, then you already know the answer. You want to share? Or, should I?” Regina questioned her adult daughter.

“I think that it would be better coming from you, Mom.”

“Very well,” Regina replied.

“And, what would that be?” Emma inquired.

“That I started to care for you, Dear. And, in starting to care for you, I didn’t want to hurt you. I just merely wanted to keep you out of my way. You were good for Henry, but I was still afraid that he would leave me for you. When you made him stay with me, I realized that you really didn’t want to take him from me. You wanted him to have stability and love. Something that you never had really growing up and that was something that I was readily able to give.”

“It was and it is.”

“Thank you,” Regina responded simply.

“There is no need to thank me for that. It was all you. As, Snow told you, Regina, you do love deeply and heaven help anyone that comes after those you love. I’ve seen it firsthand. I’ve been on the receiving end of it and now, I’m one of the ones that you are willing to do anything for. You also know, several times over, that I feel the same about you as well,” Emma replied.

“Alright, alright, you two, what are we going to do now?” Coraline asked.

Truth be told, she loved her mothers. She was happy for them, but she knew that she didn’t want to see them in the extremely early stages of their relationship. She could wait to see them together once the “honeymoon period” was over.

“We need to go back to Storybrooke.”

“I drove myself here,” Coraline stated.

“To Boston, yes, we know. But, we need to get back. We can start our research and start a plan for us to go to Boston to get whatever answers you feel you need. I only have one question for you, Coraline,” Emma told her.

“Yes, Ma, what is it?”

“Can we trust you to go back home?”

“Home?”

“To Storybrooke,” Regina added.

“Yeah, I will follow you back,” Coraline stated.

“Good. Do we need to take you back to Will’s apartment? Should we call her?” Emma inquired.

“She gave me a key.”

Regina’s eyebrow shot up. Emma held her tongue but smiled at the daughter. Coraline offered nothing further.

“We can go by her place and get your stuff. From there, we’ll decide what to do. Does that sound good with everyone?” Emma asked.

“Sounds good to me, but I think I should call her first. I want to see what she is up to. She left the dinner really quickly and I don’t think it was for a job. I know that is what she told me it was a call, but it was just the way she left,” Coraline stated.

“What do you mean?” Emma questioned.

“It just seemed odd. She seemed out of sorts about something. She looked out the window, answered her phone and then left. She gave me the key and told me to call her later. She was gone literally just moments before you came in, but I didn’t think about it until now.”

“You think that she was running from me?” Emma asked.

“I don’t know, Ma. I really don’t know. But, why would she run from you? She is your friend, right? She is the one that got you started bounty hunting?” Coraline asked in reply.

“Yeah, she was.”

“Then, it doesn’t make sense. Wouldn’t she just call someone else to take the call? Why would she rush out of here? And, when she left, why didn’t you see her leave? You   
should have seen her leave,” Coraline mused.

“We can ask her when we get to her apartment, Darling. Go ahead and call her. I’ll go settle the bill,” Regina stated.

“Are you sure? I can get it. It’s no problem,” Emma told her.

“You’ve already paid for enough in this adventure, Miss Swan. I think that I can handle a bill or two. I do know how much you make, remember?”

“Only because you are the one that signs my pay stub,” Emma teased back.

Regina shook her head and pushed at Emma. She got up out of the booth and let Regina out. Regina walked up to the counter to pay. As soon as she was out of ear shot, Coraline leaned over to Emma and Emma leaned closer to her.

“Look, I know that you and Will are friends,” she started.

“Yeah?”

“I know that she drugged me.”

“Okay…”

“I am not mad. I should be, but I’m not. I should have expected something of the sort coming from one of your non-magical friends. They will do almost anything for you, Ma, and I think that you know it,” Coraline told her.

“I do.”

“I also know that Mom doesn’t know and it is going to stay that way.”

“Why?” Emma asked.

“Because I don’t think that Will would survive her wrath if Mom ever found out.”

“Agreed,” Emma replied.

“I suspect that you aren’t going to tell her either.”

“Nope.”

“Did you procure another night her after you talked with Will this morning?”

“I did.”

“Good.”

“Why good?”

“Because you and Mom need some time alone without any distractions.”

“Distractions?” Emma asked.

“The town, Henry, your parents, you know distractions,” Coraline answered.

“Alright, but why?”

“I think that I need to talk to Will.”

“About?”

“It’s personal,” Coraline stated as Regina walked back up.

“What’s personal?”

“Nothing, Mom, we were discussing my interests back in the Enchanted Forest,” Coraline said.

“Your interests?”

“Yes, things that I liked to do.”

“Like?” Regina asked, sounding half concerned and half amused about their obvious cover up.

“Archery for one.”

“You would. I am sure that Snow taught you to shoot. She is a very well taught archer.”

“She did, but it was mostly Henry that taught me and that was in secret,” Coraline answered.

“Why in secret?” Regina asked.

“Because you didn’t want me to fight. You tried to keep the fight from me. I think it was also because I volunteered to join Charmings army at the tender age of three. Grams and Gramps, Emma, Red, Belle, and Henry all looked amused by the prospect, but you didn’t. I don’t know what it was, but you weren’t going to allow me to join the army.”

“But, you went and did it anyway, didn’t you?” Regina asked pointing at her arm.

“That wasn’t me really joining the army, that was more of me making a statement to myself.”

“Which was?” Emma asked, suddenly concerned about her line of thinking.

“I was a princess in hiding. I had no parents. I couldn’t tell anyone my name, but I could be in the military and serve dead queens with no problem. Most of the Elite Guard was dead and they had fallen on the field outside of the Winter Castle the day…I lost everything. The Personal Guard was a little different. They trickled in from fields far and near. Slowly amassing a platoon, but they never left the compounds. Red and Belle wouldn’t let them.”

“Why not?”

“Belle spoke to their captain once, what about I don’t know, but the next night Red came home with the tattoo upon her right arm. Belle was almost furious, but she never said anything to Red. Well, at least, not to her face anyway. I didn’t understand what the tattoo was and what it meant at that time. It wasn’t until years later and many history lessons that I learned of its power. I hoped that one day I would be able to live up to the sacrifices and ideals that my Queens did. I was young and foolish and I really didn’t know anything about my parents.”

“What happened?” Regina asked.

“When I came home from the tattoo artists, Red turned as soon as she saw it. She was so angry with me, but she couldn’t touch me. I didn’t understand. Belle was so angry with me as well. It didn’t make any sense. They were teaching me to help with the rebellion, but I wasn’t allowed to join it. I didn’t put it together until they took me into a tower.”

“A tower?” Emma asked.

“Yeah, the Remy Tower at Rumple’s castle.”

 

Will ran around the apartment. She removed any sign that she had come back there. She hoped that Emma and Coraline would understand. She couldn’t face Regina. She couldn’t face the lot of them together. She would crack and tell them who she really was and what she was really doing in this realm. It wasn’t something that she would ever be prepared to do. No, running was an easier solution, no matter how bad of coward it made her look.

Her cell phone rang and she looked at it. It was Coraline. Her heart dropped. She didn’t want to answer it, but she knew that if she didn’t that Coraline would come looking for her. And, if Coraline didn’t, then Emma would. She knew that her behavior was odd and she knew that they would question it. 

Coraline might have only known her for around forty-eight hours, but it was enough between them. Emma had known her longer. And if Coraline questioned her actions and told Emma about them, she knew that Emma would jump on the bandwagon with Coraline. She couldn’t have that. She needed to calm down just enough to throw them off her trail. She needed to get out of Boston and get out of it tonight. She needed to go to Storybrooke. She needed to find out if Rumple had come over with the Regina and what part she had in one of his sick plans.

“Hello, dear, what can I do for you?” Will asked answering the phone.

“Where are you?”

“I’m on a job.”

“Where?” Coraline pushed.

“Does it really matter?”

“I want to see you.”

“You can’t while I am working, Dear. I’m sorry. Besides, shouldn’t you be bonding with your mother? Isn’t that why you were meeting your mother and Emma at the diner?”

“It is Will, but Emma wanted to see you, too,” Coraline told her.

“I know. I am sorry for that, too, but she knows how spontaneous this job can be. To be honest, I needed the money from this job. I had to take it. It should be down quick enough, though.”

“Will are you going to come back to the apartment?”

“I should when I am done,” she lied.

“You’re lying. You aren’t coming back. Where are you, Will?”

She could hear the desperation building in Coraline’s voice. She didn’t know what to tell her. She couldn’t stay.

“I’ll be back there later, Coraline. I have to go. I have to go…I have my mark. I’ll call you later. I promise. I’ll call you. I know that we need to talk, but I can’t do it right now. Go home with your mother and find your answers there. I have to go. I am sorry. I have to go.”

She hung up the phone and grabbed some paper. She gauged that she only had a few minutes before Emma and Coraline would come busting into her apartment. She needed to be gone before they got there. She needed to be on her way to Storybrooke.

She wrote Coraline a simple letter. It didn’t discuss feelings or what had transpired between them. It was only meant to give Coraline closure about their time together and that she didn’t need to dwell in the past. She could tell that she and Coraline could have built a relationship if they chose to pursue it, but there was so much from the outside that would destroy them and pull them apart. It would have never worked and she knew it. It didn’t matter that she was Regina’s daughter…well, it did, slightly, but Coraline must never know that. She mustn’t find out that Will knew Regina. In the end, she left a card with an email address and a phone number. It would have to be enough between them until Will could face her own demons and fears.

She grabbed her bag and ran out. She ran to the bank of windows in the hallway and saw Emma pull up in the Storybrooke cruiser and park. She turned and ran down the back stairs. She would have to speed to find this Storybrooke, Maine before they made their way back. She could only hope that she could get there and find what she was what she looking for. She didn’t want to hurt Emma and she didn’t want to hurt Coraline, but she didn’t see any way around it, now.

 

Emma led the way up to Will’s apartment. She knew which one it was from her time spent with her in Boston. Many a night they found themselves sleeping there, waiting for a clue or some break in their cases. She knew that apartment intimately but she had to admit that she never knew Will during all their times. No matter how drunk they were, they never crossed that line.

But, now, Emma could see that Will and Coraline had. She wondered what drove them to their intimacy. But, she also knew that Coraline would never tell her. It was their secret to keep and Emma would allow it. She wouldn’t break her friend’s or her daughter’s trust. But, she didn’t want Coraline to suffer because of whatever happened between them.   
Coraline opened the door and went in first. Emma behind her and Regina followed. She could see the haunted look come over Emma, but she didn’t speak of it. She could tell that they were upset at Will’s absence but she didn’t know why. She assumed that it was because Will and Emma were friends and that she had endowed some knowledge of this friendship to her. She would not pry, at least not yet, into what was creating their solemn mood.

“She’s not here,” Coraline said breaking the silence.

“It appears not,” Regina stated.

Emma found the note, read it quickly enough and handed it to Coraline. She knew enough by the words that Will had written were more than what were she hadn’t. She watched Coraline’s face for any betrayal of emotion and found none. She knew in that moment how much she was Regina’s daughter. But, she knew a second later that she was her own as well. 

“She is gone. I’ll be just be a minute. I’ll go with you.”

“If you wish, Coraline,” Regina answered her as she watched her walk into another room to gather up what belongings she had there. 

When she left the room, Regina grabbed Emma by the hand and pulled her towards her. Emma moved willingly and stared into Regina’s eyes trying to figure out why she grabbed her so. She pulled her close enough that Emma could feel her breath on her ear.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“What are you talking about, Regina?”

“Something more happened between Coraline and Will and neither of you are talking about it. Shall I ask her when she comes back? Or, will you tell me?”

“I don’t know if something actually happened, but I believe it did. Coraline doesn’t wish to talk about it and it seems that Will didn’t want to deal with it. It is their business and that is where I am going to leave it. As you should as well. She is our daughter, but she is an adult.”

“If Will hurt her in any way…”

“She hasn’t yet. She’s left. She maybe on some case, but whatever the reason, she’s left. And now, Coraline must deal with that on her own. She is like you in that manner, my Queen.”

“And what is that?”

“She doesn’t know how to love well.”

“Well, neither did you, either, Dear,” Regina retorted.

Emma spun around and grabbed both of her hands in her own. She stared down into her chocolate brown eyes and smiled. She leaned down and brushed a soft kiss across her rosy lips.

“I didn’t until I met you and saw how fiercely you loved Henry. I believe that our children have taught us how to love. They brought us together, Regina and they have healed our pain.”

“And, we should do the same for our daughter.”

“I plan on it.”

“Where is Will?” Regina asked her.

“I don’t know. I really don’t. All I can tell you is that something about meeting me and you today spooked her, but as to why? I don’t know. She has always been a private person. She didn’t want to teach me anything when we first met. But, she took pity on me. Got me off the street. Taught me to survive without being a thief and a con. She took the skills that I had learned in my illegal profession and turned into something that I could get paid to do. She saved me from myself when I had no one and nothing, Regina. She is the closest thing that I ever had to a real, honest friend and the loyalty of a sister.”

“She’s hurt our daughter, and yet, you defend her, still,” Regina replied.

“I would do the same for you.”

“I would never ask that of you,” Regina stated.

“You don’t have to, because I love you. And, neither does Coraline, Henry or even Will. They have all earned my love and trust. I’ll call her later and hopefully, she can explain her absence today. But, I will not seek her out and hurt her because Coraline is upset. That isn’t healthy and what would that teach our children.”

“That revenge is a dish best served cold, my Dear,” Regina replied.

“And, how did that work out for you and Snow? Hmm? You’ve forgiven her and she you. You are now with her daughter, which may be by some considered to be part of your vengeance, but I know better. Regina, she has the emotionally stability of a teenager. I know what that is like. More than likely she developed some sort of crush on Will. Will has taken a job because she needed the money. She is a hard worker and a loyal friend. I doubt that she has actually done anything to hurt Coraline besides not being here. We need to let them deal with it,” Emma said.

“You want me to just let this go?”

“I want you to allow our daughter to make her own decisions. If she wants to be upset, let her. We can go around punishing the world populace because they upset our family. It would be an all-out war between us and the rest of the world. And, trust me that it won’t end well for anyone in that situation,” Emma explained.

“I don’t like this.”

“Neither do I. We’ll take her back with us to the hotel. She’ll be fine. We’ll help her get through this and will find a way to save us all.”

“I’ll get her a room,” Regina stated.

“Her own room?”

“You want her lodging with us, Dear?”

“It would save money,” Emma offered.

“But, it would stop plans that I have for you.”

“By all means, let her have her own room then, my Queen,” Emma told her with a bow.


	13. Chapter 13

Will drove down the almost abandoned highway towards Storybrooke. She could feel it and its magic. It was like a pull that she had forgotten years ago. She felt her blood begin to fill with that old fire. She shivered at the thought. She didn’t want the magic. She didn’t want the pain associated with her life anymore. That is why she left the Enchanted Forest to begin with, but now, she could only hope that Rumple was there and he could answer her questions.

She drove for about an hour more until she came upon a safety orange spray painted line in the road. She stopped just before it and parked in the middle of the road. She figured that no one would be coming out that way or coming back anytime soon. She had time before Emma and the rest came back.

She got out of the ear and walked to the line. Slowly she lifted her right hand. It skimmed across the barrier at the town line. She saw the shimmer of the protection spell. She knew that it wouldn’t keep her out. She could see through it. She could see the “Welcome lo Storybrooke” sign about a thousand feet just inside the line. She knew than people without magic wouldn’t normally be able to see it. She sighed us she pushed her hand through the barrier, trying to prepare herself for the fire in her blood that she was about to feel and willing it not to come.

The crackle of the barrier was loud as her hand passed through it. She was sure that they could hear it in town, but she didn’t know how far it actually was from the line. Her skin burned and she looked to see if it would blister from the magic of the barrier. It didn’t. She pulled her hand back slowly and watched the barrier fill back in from the hole she’d made.

She slowly walked back to her car and got back in the driver’s seat. She closed the door and started the car. She took a deep breath and slowly made her way through the barrier into Storybrooke. The barrier crackled and sparked, but didn’t collapse as she passed through it this time. The fire in her blood burned her entire body so much that she had to stop just over the line to catch her breath.

She puffed and huffed for a few minutes until she got her wits back about her. She hated the feeling of her magic returning and she was dreading turning if it happened. It had been years and she was used to being normal. Now, normal was out the window and she would have to deal with it as it happened.

She drove for a while down the two lane wood lined road until she made it into the main part of town. She saw Granny’s Diner and realized that it was more than likely the only food establishment in the small town. She saw the sign that showed that it also had at B and B attached to it. She couldn’t stay there. It was too risky. She needed to get her information and get out of town. She needed to find Rumple.

“Where are you, Imp? What name are you using here? I highly doubt that Regina would leave you behind. No, she would have made sure you came with her in this curse. She would want a way out. You would give her that. So, where are you?” Will asked out loud to the coming night.

The town was quiet. Not a lot of people were out and those that were out were heading towards the diner. She needed to find lodging before she did anything else. She didn’t want to stay out of town. The nearest place to Storybrooke was an hour away. It wouldn’t be feasible for her to do that and she didn’t want to tempt the border too many times. She didn’t know if the barrier’s hold reported some magical being in town. She continued driving until she came up on a small grouping of cabins, or so she thought they were cabins. When she pulled into the Major Oak Arms, she realized that it was a small grouping of duplexes and rent-able cottages. She pulled into a space and walked into the office. There was a large man behind the desk who she recognized as someone who used to run with Locksley, but he didn’t seem to know her. Maybe things wouldn’t be as hard as she thought.

“Can I ‘elp you, ma’am?” he asked her.

“I need some lodging.”

“It’s sixty a night,” he told her.

“That’s fine.”

“You from around here?”

“Yeah, I live in town,” she lied.

“Oh, I guess so. I am still trying to remember everyone’s face since Regina defeated the Wicked Witch. That Zelena did a number to us Merry Men. Turning us into monkeys and all,” he stated.

“I remember. It was had. But, like you said, she’s been defeated, so no worries on than point.”

“Nope, you’re right there, friend.”

“Here you go,” she replied handing him some money.

“Just sign here,” he told her as he took the money with one hand and handed her the guest book with the other. “Just your name and I’ll fill in the cottage number. But, if you have a house in town, why you staying out here?”

“I just needed to get away for a while.”

“Ah, issues with your mister, eh? No problem. I won’t tell anyone that you are here. It’ll be our secret,” he assured her.

She just nodded. She took the offered key and stared at the number and name on it. She started to object and ask for another key when he pointed to the map.

“So, I’m putting you in Scarlet Notch. That cottage is in the back, away from everyone. You’ll be safe there, ma’am. If you need anything, my name is Tuck. I’ll help you out. Sheriff’s out of town at the moment, but they should he back any day now. I know that Robin needs to see Regina as soon as she gets back,” he told her.

“Hopefully, I won’t need the Sheriff,” she replied.

“Well, if you don’t want to go that way, ma’am. I am sure that me and boys will be able to take care of any issues that might arise. That is, if you want us to do something for you,” he explained.

“Not right now, Tuck. I’ve got it under control. I just needed to get away to think. I am sure that he’ll see my point-of-view soon.”

“I hope so, ma’am. It seems like a waste if a man couldn’t appreciate you. I’m sorry. I know I should say that, but it isn’t hard to see your beauty, ma’am. If you ask me, he’s a fool.” he told her.

“He can be, but for my sake, I hope he isn’t.”

“Well, have at good night, ma’am. Again, if you need anything just ask for me,” he said turning the guest book back around and reading her name. “Well, Miss Vivian Redding, welcome to The Major Oak Arms. Linens are changed every Monday and Thursday. We don’t have a full time housekeeping department, so if you need something between then, just call the office. If you don’t get me, you might get my uncle. Don’t worry about him. He drinks, but he means well.”

“Your uncle?”

“Yeah, Benedict Tuck. He was the Friar, but Mother Superior, the Blue Fairy, didn’t think that he was still right for the job, here. To be honest we are all grateful for that, too. His sermons weren’t very good, but he kept out spirits up and his own when things were bad,” he explained and laughed. “He is a very spirited man nowadays, but he is good all business which is why Robin gave Uncle Benny this to run for us.”

“Well, thanks,” Will told him as she left the office.

She got in her car and sighed. Too many memories were coming to the surface. Tuck and Robin were still alive and they were in Storybrooke. She wondered who else she’d run into while she was there. Things were not looking like they were going to so her way, but it didn’t matter. She needed Rumple.

She unlocked the cottage and walked in. She threw her bag on the table by the front window. She walked around it. It really was more like a rustic two bedroom cabin, but if they wanted to call it a cottage she’d let them. She noted that the kitchen was all modern and gas. The fire place in the living room was gas as well. She found the bathroom. It was a nice place and it would do for what she needed.

She sighed again. This was not going to be an easy journey for her. She kept thinking about Coraline. She hated that she’d lied, but it was for the best. Now, she could only hope that she was gone before they got back.

She sat down on the bed in a room and pulled out the phone hook. It was small. It was tiny compared to Boston’s, but it would give her more information than anything else at the moment. As she flipped through it, she noticed that she didn’t recognize any of the names. She wondered how that could be.

She’d already met Friar Tuck’s nephew. She was staying in The Major Oak Arms in Storybrooke. She that knew Regina was the Mayor and she was also the Evil Queen from the Enchanted Forest.

“Damn it!” she exclaimed.

She realized that they all had different names here. How the hell was she supposed to find anyone if she didn’t know their names here? She grimaced and nodded her head in annoyance. She flipped through until she landed on the Sheriff’s contact information.

Her eyes went wide at the large picture there. It was Emma and Prince James. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes. It couldn’t be James because James was dead. The Dumbass and Cocky Prince was gutted by a dragon. But, there was something else about him. Emma favored him. That couldn’t he possible though. Emma was an orphan from this world. There was no way that she could favor James. Could there?

“What kind of curse did you cast, Regina? I know that it had to be you. You are the only one with that much power among these simple people. So, what did you do?” she asked the phone book. “Or, did Rumple make you do this?”

She tossed the book aside. She would walk the outskirts of town and ask some question answering questions. She knew how to do it without looking suspicious. She would just have to make sure that she stayed away from the main parts of town. She couldn’t have any of the main gentry knowing she was there. If they did, they would alert Regina and Regina would come looking for her old pet. No, she would have to act like a bounty hunter searching for Rumple. She wondered what would happen if she dropped his name. Would they tell her who he was there? 

“We shall see. We shall see,” she said and looked at her cell phone, surprised to see full service. “Well it is a magical town. And, if Regina is like she was in the ‘Old Country’ as they say, she’d want to make sure that she could communicate with any one quickly. Cell phones are the way to go in that department.

“Damn it. It’s nine o’clock. I should call Coraline and ease her fears. I have no idea what to tell her, but I need to tell her something. Why did she have to be Regina’s daughter? Damn it all to Hell and back,” she exclaimed opening her cell phone and calling Coraline.

The phone rang and rang and rang and rang. Coraline didn’t answer. She knew that the note would hurt her, but she couldn’t stay and have Regina meet her again. She knew that she ran, but she hoped that one day that she would be able to explain that to her. Today, however, was not going to be that day. Her voicemail picked up.

“Coraline, I’m sorry I’m not there. I had to go out of town for a few days. This is a big case for me. I am sorry. I should be back by the end of the week. If you want to see me, call me back. If not, I understand. I hope that the meeting with your mom went well. Again, I’m sorry. Call me if you want. I am done looking for the evening. You’ve got my number,” she stated.

 

Coraline sat in the hotel room with Emma and Regina. She didn’t hear her phone, but Emma did. Emma reached for it and handed it to her. She looked at the caller ID, silenced it and put it into a pocket of her jeans. She looked back up at Emma, who understood that she didn’t want to talk about it.

“Who did you want to talk to first?” Emma asked trying to break up the quiet.

‘Talk to first?”

“Yeah, when you get back with us, I am sure that Ruby and Belle are dying to talk to you. I don’t know if Henry knows yet. Maybe we should tell him first,” Emma stated.

“I will in good time,” Coraline replied.

“You don’t want to tell your brother?” Regina asked perplexed.

“I don’t want to worry him. He has enough to deal with at the moment. He doesn’t need to be worried about me. He has school and a girlfriend. He doesn’t need to be worried about a little sister that hasn’t even been born yet,” Coraline explained.

“Girlfriend?!?” Regina und Emma both exclaimed in question.

“Okay, let’s forget that I said anything about that. Moving on...um, Grams needs to know about Neal. I should talk to her, alone. I don’t know that she’ll believe me, but I have to try. She deserves to know what is going to happen once the curse reverses itself,” Coraline stated.

“Yeah, she does, but Henry has a girlfriend?” Emma asked, obviously not letting go of that point.

“Do we at least know her?” Regina asked.

“Does that really matter right now?” Coraline asked.

“Uh…I guess not.”

“Okay, then, we need to worry about Snow right now,” Coraline replied.

“I understand that, Coraline. I do, but we need to worry about you as well. You are our daughter. Is there something that besides trying to figure out what the Blackness is that we can help you with?” Emma asked realizing what her daughter needed.

“I want to know Grams and Gramps better. I need to be able to tell her and make her believe me. I don’t want to hurt her but I think she needs to be prepared,” Coraline answered.

“I agree with you, Darling, but I think that we should learn more from you about this illness before we alert your Grams. I might be able to help. I wouldn’t want her to suffer for nothing. I know that I might not seem like I love your Grams, but I do care for her. I don’t want to worry if there is something that we can do to stop it,” Regina told her.

“Do you think that it is wise to let her know?” Emma asked.

“Why would you ask that, Dear?”

“She’s my Mom and all, but…do we disturb the time continuum by telling her about his death? Or do we let destiny take its course? I know that sounds harsh, but…”

“She has a point, Mom, but I agree with you.”

“Already ganging up on me, Kiddo?” Emma asked her.

“No, Ma, I just think that Grams deserves to know,” Coraline explained.

“I understand that. I agree with you that Mom needs to know about Neal, but I think that we should be able to present her with a possible solution before we tell her about the problem. It is kinda easier to work with her that way. Besides I know that she is going to be Hell to deal with because of you,” Emma stated.

“Because of me?”

“We sort of told her who you were and ran here to get you,” Emma stated.

“Great,” Coraline muttered.

“What was that, Darling?” Regina asked.

“You told Grams who I was and then you left. Did you even give her time to process the fact that I am your daughter? What did she say?” Coraline asked them.

“She knew that you were daughter when we told them that you had run away to Boston. I don’t see what that would be an issue with Snow to begin with. She would worry about you just like she would worry about Henry. She actually seemed rather upset that you had run off. Why do you think that it would be a big issue with her?” Regina asked her.

“Did you tell her that Emma was my other mother?” Coraline asked her, giving her a very Regina look back in response.

Regina and Emma both looked at their daughter in disbelief. Then they stared at each other, not saying a word in response. Coraline took their lack of response for what it was.

“So, by that, I’ll take it to mean that you did,” Coraline stated.

“I may have said something to her before we left.”

“You may have?” Coraline questioned.

“To answer your question, Coraline, yes, she told Snow that she was her other mother. But to be fair to Emma, I didn’t let her wait around to see what her reaction would be. I also may have egged her on to tell your Grams that we were both your mothers,” Regina stated.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“Because they have a very odd relationship?” Emma asked.

“Precisely, I see that much is true,” Coraline replied and giggled.

“I dare say that I am not going to change how I feel about Snow, dears.”

“I know. I know. I am just happy that you are trying to get along with her. That means a lot coming from you. I know that. I am not going to push for you to be buddy buddy with her or anything. It is enough for me to know that you aren’t going to kill her anymore and that you are at least trying to be civil with her,” Emma stated.

“I know,” Regina replied simply.

“Okay, Mom, Ma, we need to figure this out. What are we going to do about me when I get back to Storybrooke? By the sounds of it, you’ve already told the entire town or they will know by the time we get back. That will seriously hinder the investigation or it may trigger the curse. Did either of you think of that?” Coraline asked them in scolding manner.

Regina’s eyes lit up in pride. Her daughter reminded her of herself. Even though she wasn’t there for her more formative years, Coraline still developed a good head and sense. She would get over the anger the longer she spent with her and Emma, Regina just knew it. She hoped that she developed Emma’s sense of not being able to hold a grudge that long and forgiveness.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Coraline warned her.

“Like what?” Regina asked, realizing that she was talking to her.

“Like you are happy about something that I said.”

“I am just glad that you think things through for the most part. How can I not be happy about that? It means that we instilled some sense into you before we died,” Regina replied.

“But, like my Ma, I ran away and dove into danger head first because I felt the need. I got caught by the Black Queen. I was tortured and burned. I was imprisoned in a tower with very little to eat and given a resurrection cloak to keep me well. So, tell me how I didn’t lose my mind. Tell me how I was foolish. Tell me how I didn’t let my pent up emotions about losing my mothers at an early age didn’t drive me to that. Can you? Because honestly, I can’t.”

“Yep, she’s ours. Can’t deny that. You act like both of us,” Emma stated.

“See,” Coraline stated, pointing at Emma.

“I concede your point, Darling. It may have been foolish, but I would like to think that in your shoes, I would have done the same things. You have been reading my journals. You know how emotional I can be. And, to top that off, you have latent magic inside you that you were never properly trained on how to use. I am sure that it pushed you further than you thought possible some days. Your magic is a part of you like we are a part of you. I know that you didn’t deny it because you wanted to deny, but because you were never trained by someone who did it.”

“What are you talking about?” Coraline asked.

“Magic is emotion…” Emma replied reflexively.

“It is. It is pure emotion. You read about the relationships that I had and how they affected me from growing up, to marrying your great-grandfather, to dealing with Snow’s betrayal and its aftermath, to the Curse and Storybrooke, to my growing relationship with Emma and finally your birth. It was all emotional for me. Surely, you could see that on the pages,” Regina stated.

“Yes, I could.”

“Then you know that magic is emotion.”

“I could see that, I guess.”

“I…you’ve been going to Blue for lessons,” Regina started.

“Yeah, because I wasn’t sure how you’d react,” Coraline replied.

“I understand that, Darling. I really do. I already told you that. I don’t blame you for that. You are angry with me and your…Emma. I get that. Of all the people in Storybrooke, I understand why you so angry with us. I could feel it come off you in waves.”

“Feel what?” Coraline asked.

“Your magic.”

“How?” Emma asked.

“Coraline, do you remember what you did that made me seek you out?” Regina asked.

“No.”

“You were in the back with the mulch and trees at Game of Thorns.”

“Yeah?” she replied.

“You were stacking some posts and they kept falling down. You got mad because they would stay were you were stacking them. If I remember correctly, you backed up from the stack, threw your hands up and flung your arms at the stack of posts. And, what happened when you did that, Darling? Do you remember?” Regina asked her.

“They flew everywhere because I had done some sort of force push spell as Blue called it.”

“Exactly, Darling, you were angry and you took it out on those posts. Your anger is natural for you that way because it was for me as well. The darkness that I fell into was because of my anger and my pain. I would never want that for you. You anger surrounds you and I can feel it. I know what it is like to be that angry. I know what it is like to hate. But, on the other hand, you have your…Emma’s love. She is the product of True Love and based on everything that I can think of, so are you,” Regina told them.

“What does that mean for me?” Coraline asked.

“That your magic can come from love or anger, but Love should override everything in you. Your love for your lost mothers sent you on a quest to find out what happened. Your love for us pushed you into the hands of this Black Queen and it helped you survive her torture. And, when the moment presented itself for you to come back in time to us to help us defeat this Blackness, the darkness that overtakes the land, you did it without hesitation. Because in the end, like your Ma, Emma, I believe in the power of Love and what it can give us,” Regina explained.

“Yeah, so?” Coraline asked.

“You are here to fix the wrongs of your future because of love. We want to help you with that. You’ve said that you want our help with that.”

“I do,” Coraline answered.

“Then learn to love us as we are now, so you can know what we are doing to help you is out of our love for you. Love can fix anything. I am sure that your grandparents taught you that. It will move mountains and cure any curse. Let our love help heal your pain and help you fight this battle. As much as I hate to admit it, you are a Charming and that means you have an uncommon knack of defeating evil for the might of good. I believe your Grams would say that True Love conquers all. You, yourself, have even said that you are a product of True Love. You must have some mighty fine magic to have made it here to stop the future or alter it enough so that one or both of us don’t die. Hold on to that, Coraline. We will find a way.”

“I am.”

“Then, give me a chance to see what I can do for Neal before you tell Snow. I’ll even work with you and your magic. You can come practice with Emma and me. It will help you develop your skills. I would like it if you did,” Regina told her.

“Yeah, Kiddo, it would be awesome. We could practice together. You could help with the research and we can learn more about you. What da ya say?” Emma asked her.

“I think it sounds good, but we need to talk with Snow, Belle and Red. They deserve to know about everything. I don’t want them to feel left out. And, we need to talk to Henry.”

“Well, we need to get back first,” Regina replied.

“True, but it is getting late. We should wait until morning. Do you want me to take you back to Will’s place? Or, do you want to stay here? We can get you a room. I know that we would be glad for you to stay here with us, but I can understand that you need your own space,” Emma told her.

“I know you are trying to help, but I don’t think that I want to go back to Will’s. She’s made it clear that she isn’t coming back tonight. I can get my own room. Don’t worry about me.”

“Nonsense, Darling. I’ll go down and get you a room. You two stay here and talk about Will. I shouldn’t be gone long. Besides, I can appreciate not wanting to tell you mother everything, Darling. And, Emma, you can close your mouth. Bond with our daughter, I’ll return shortly.”

They watched her leave. Emma had to let out a chuckle. It was something that Regina would do. She’d picked up on the fact that something had happened between Will and Coraline. She could also tell that Emma had read more into that note than she was letting on. She figured it would do them both good to discuss it without her there. That way they wouldn’t be afraid of what Regina would do when she found out that Will had hurt Coraline. She knew that Regina was smiling the entire way down the main desk to get Coraline’s room. 

“She has a point,” Emma stated.

“About?”

“She is letting you tell me about Will,” Emma replied.

“There isn’t really anything to say about Will, Ma. It happened. She’s not here and there is nothing that I can do about that. She made that obvious in the note. She has a job to do.”

“We both know that isn’t it,” Emma stated.

“And, what do we know?”

“She might have taken that job, but something spooked her. If you are anything like me, you know that she was lying. She is running, but it isn’t necessarily from you. Will is complicated. We were close when I lived in Boston, but we weren’t that close. She is a lot like me in that respect,” Emma explained.

“How’s that?” Coraline asked.

“When things get emotionally unstable, we run. Too many things happened to both of us when we were younger; it makes us a little shy when it comes to emotions. I am sure that you understand that, Coraline. I am sure that your childhood wasn’t the greatest either from what little you’ve told us. You don’t have to apologize for that. I do. I wasn’t there for you. I know that I can’t make up for that now. But, I want to be here for you as long as I can be.”

“Ma…”

“Coraline, if she can find a way back to you, will you talk to her?” Emma asked her.

“I don’t know.”

“Sure you do. Unfortunately for you, both of your mothers are emotionally driving, which means you are, too. Regina didn’t lie when she said that love was a very powerful emotion and it can drive your magic. So, I’ll ask you this again. Do you think that you will talk to her if she comes looking for you?” Emma questioned.

“I guess I owe her that much. She did leave me the note. She did talk me into staying and meeting with you and Mom. I just don’t know what spooked her so bad that she ran off from the diner. It just doesn’t make sense,” Coraline told her.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I know that she didn’t leave because of a case, it was more personal than that.”

 

Red, Belle and Snow were sitting at booth at the Rabbit Hole. Ruby was still unsure how she convinced Snow to join them, especially when Neal was still so small, but she was thankful that her friend had come along. They sat in silence as the bar geared up for Karaoke Night.

“Ruby?” Snow started.

“Yeah, Snow?”

“I’m sorry for the other day. I am just overwhelmed right now. I am not sure how Emma expected me to react to the news she gave me. Then, she and Regina pick you to run the town while they are gone. I am sorry. I didn’t mean to offend anyone. I was hurt,” Snow stated.

“I understand that, Snow. I really do. I just wish that you would give Regina and Emma the benefit of the doubt. They really seem good together. I think that they have proven that time and time again for the town. I mean the line between love and hate is thin. It really was only a matter of time before they crossed that line. There are fireworks every time they are together.”

“I know. I just can’t believe that we have all be so blind to that fact. Regina does seem to be truly happy with Emma. I know that it seems to be amazing, but it is poetic at the same time. That maybe why none us saw it coming,” Belle offered.

“You’re right there,” Snow replied.

“I love you, Snow, but she is my Goddaughter. I will do anything that Emma needs me to do for her. I would do the same for you, but I wasn’t kidding the other day. If you aren’t going to support them, then you will be doing that alone. I know that their match isn’t one that you are ready to see because of your shared history with Regina, but even you have to admit that Regina deserves her happiness, even if it is with Emma,” Ruby told her.

“I know that. I do. I have something that I need to tell you,” Snow stated.

“What?” Ruby asked wondering what her best friend could need to tell her.

“I have always cared for Regina. Why do you think that I have never killed her? I could have, but I stopped the execution. I banished her instead. She’s did the same to me. There is an uneasiness between us, but it is something that I can’t deny. I will speak with Regina when they get back. I will not stand in their way. They both deserve their happiness,” Snow explained.

“I am proud of you,” Ruby stated.

“It makes sense though, Ruby. Regina and Snow have always had a strange relationship. It must be hard for her to see Emma with her, but I think that everyone will agree that Henry has done more this family and this town than anyone wants to admit. He is a special boy, which means that Coraline is also just as special to this town. We need to talk with all of them,” Belle said.

“We do. We all do. We need to get everything out into the open. It is the only way that we will be able to come together and be stronger,” Snow stated.

“Why do we need to be stronger?” Ruby asked.

“If Coraline is here because of our future, then something awful must happen to us all.”

“I have to agree with Snow on this,” Belle replied.

“Then what are we going to do about it?” Ruby questioned and drank a shot.

“We will have to all sit down and talk. We need to get everything out in the open. We will keep it between us. There is nothing that hurt this family if we stick together. I believe that we’ve proven that. We are stronger together. I have always considered Regina part of this family and I am not going to let our troubled past ruin their happiness. I might have my reservations but I will not stand in their way,” Snow explained.

“What are we going to do about Rumple?” Red asked.

“What about Rumple?” Belle asked.

“Well, Belle, he is your husband and we know that he has a … colorful past with Regina. How do you think that he is going to take it that Coraline isn’t your sister, but is Regina’s daughter? He isn’t going to be happy about the fact that he’s been lied to, especially by someone posing as your sister. He will take it as an affront to him. He will want to punish her for lying to you.”

“I’ll deal with Rumple. Don’t worry about that. I’ll talk to him about it. I’ll make sure that he doesn’t do anything that might cause more problems for us all,” Belle stated.

“Do you think that he’ll listen?” Red asked. “He isn’t exactly known for his diplomacy. Are you sure that you can persuade him to leave everyone involved alone?”

“I will do my best, but we both know that Rumple usually has his reasons for what he does. I am just going to have to talk to him about Coraline myself. I know that he is going to be mad, but I will do my best to make sure that he doesn’t do anything to her,” Belle told them.

“What are we going to do about Henry?”

“What do you mean, Snow?”

“How are we going to tell him about Regina and Emma? How do we explain to him that his baby sister is back from the future and she is about as old as his mothers? That isn’t going to be an easy conversation. How are we going to tell him the truth?” Snow asked.

“We aren’t. We will let them do it. It is their family. We are going to sit back and wait for them to include us the discussion. Yeah, Henry might get a little angry, but he will be happier knowing that they told him to truth. We will just be there for him if he needs us,” Red replied.

“Agreed,” Belle added.

“I hope that they do it soon when they get back. I don’t feel right keeping him and not telling him everything that is going on. I know he suspects something is up. I hate keeping things from him. Last time we didn’t tell him everything, we almost lost him in Neverland.”

“This isn’t Neverland, Snow. We aren’t going to let anything happen to them. We are going to protect your family. We will make sure that everything is okay. And, we will help Coraline. Now, let’s all just wait until they get back. Until then, we can’t do anything,” Red stated.

“We’ll wait for them to tell us, right?” Belle asked, pointedly directed at Snow.

“We will wait for them to come home,” she replied.


	14. Chapter 14

“Do you think that she’ll be okay alone?” Emma asked Regina.

“She’ll be fine. We can’t coddle her. We have to treat her how you want Snow and Charming to treat you, Dear. She is an adult. She is fighting years of anger with reasoning that she never got to see. She’ll be fine. We have to trust that, or we’ve already failed her,” Regina told her.

“I’m worried about her,” Emma stated.

“As you should be, you are her mother.”

“I know that, but that isn’t it. I know that she has grown up fine and strong. I know that she might be a hot head when it comes to running into danger and dealing with magic, but that isn’t it. Something happened between her and Will. I can feel it and she is hurting because of it. I want to make the pain stop. I can’t stand to see it in her eyes,” Emma told her.

“I know the feeling well, Emma, but we can’t protect her from everything. We just can’t. We want to but unfortunately as a parent we have to watch our children be in pain. Do you think that I like it? I want to hunt Will down and figure out what the hell is wrong with her that she would leave my daughter alone. I know that she is your friend and that is one of the reasons that I haven’t tried to locate her on my own,” Regina replied.

“And the other?” Emma asked.

“The fact that our daughter saw fit to befriend her or more. I know that in itself should be enough for me, but as you know, I will never believe that anyone will be worthy of our children. That, my Dear, is a mother’s prerogative.”

Emma laughed slightly and pulled Regina to her. She held her in her arms, still amazed that it had only been a day or more since they had finally confessed their feelings for each other. It had been because of their daughter from the future, but it had been a long time coming. She stared into Regina’s mocha colored eyes.

“How did we get so lucky?” Emma asked her.

“I don’t believe in luck, you should know that,” Regina mock scolded her.

“You know what I mean. I just hope that she won’t run tonight. You don’t think that she will, do you?” Emma questioned.

“No, Dear, I don’t. She has questions and we have answers. She was here to learn about you from people who knew you outside of the Fairy Tale World. That can only make me wonder what she knows of us. She hid from us both and chose to be Belle’s younger sister. It makes me wonder if we didn’t show her enough love or if she is really frightened of what is to come.”

“Like changing our past will change her future and not for the better?” Emma inquired.

“That is a big possibility. I am afraid that we can’t know what will change and she might not either. You only knew what changed because you had the book. Your memories didn’t change.”

“You’re scaring me with this ‘Butterfly Effect’ shit. What can we do? Nothing?”

“I don’t understand the reference. And, no, Emma, we will do something. I am not going to let our family perish. We have worked so hard to get where we are. I am not going to let it designate because of some evil. I am not going to let her suffer through not having us again, or if she has to, at least she will know that we did everything that we could to try to stop it.”

“She will, Regina. We aren’t going to let her not know. We are going to do everything in our power to make sure that she knows that. Do you think that the journals will change? Do you think that is why she is so worried?” Emma asked.

“I don’t know, Dear.”

“I mean, I was only in the Enchanted Forest for a week the last time. I did enough damage in one day that it took days to fix it and Rumple wasn’t exactly accommodating. I can only imagine what her being here for six months before we…you figured it out will do to her future.”

“Not much, I am sure. It would have only been in the last few days that would have affected anything I am sure. That was when we figured out that she was from the future and our daughter, before that we had no reason to question her. She had all the time in the world to study and learn how to stop this Blackness that she is so worried about. The only person, who really knew who she was, was Blue and I highly doubt that Blue would tell me anything unless it would help your family. She kept her confidence. So, even Blue could see the potential of changing the future too much, but she was willing to teach her anyway. I guess that is because she is also your blood. She was drawn to help her.”

“What do you mean by that?” Emma asked.

“Blue has always been drawn to your family. That is why she was trying to help Ava, but she couldn’t stop her poisoning by my mother. She couldn’t help her because she didn’t know it was poison. She protected your mother. She protects you and Henry. She was drawn to Coraline even though she couldn’t explain it. She didn’t look like your family that much, not until that day we were at the convent. I think she realized that you were her other mother as soon as I did. By then, she knew that she would help her not because of her lineage but because she was trying to protect the entire town and by default your baby brother.”

“But, if Blue is my family’s personal fairy, does that make Tink yours?”

“I guess so. She was also worried about Coraline. She has two fairies looking after her. I am not sure that many people can say that. She truly is gifted in more ways than we thought.”

“Okay, so our daughter has both of our traits, good and bad. She has powerful magic, like ours, and two fairies on her side. She has a family that is willing to die for her. She like me is also seemingly a product of True Love. Is there anything that I missed?” Emma asked.

“Not that I can think of right now, Emma.”

“I want to make sure that she is okay,” Emma stated.

“I know that you do, Dear. But, she is an adult. She has to make her own decisions. As do you, especially concerning your parents. We need to sit down with Henry when we get back.”

“You’re right. We do. He needs to know.”

“About us,” Regina added with a certain finality.

“Do you think that we should tell him so soon?”

“I am sure that if we don’t, your parents will,” Regina stated.

“You’re right. Should we call him tonight? Or, should we wait until we get back?”

“I think we should wait until we get back. I am sure that you mother’s mouth has been kept quiet by Ruby. Most importantly because Ruby knows how insufferable your mother can be. Plus she doesn’t want me to have to kill your mother when we get back,” Regina told her.

Emma laughed and held her tighter. She could see the mischievousness in Regina’s mocha eyes. She leaned into her and kissed her.

“Emma…”

“Yeah?”

“I thought you were worried about Coraline,” Regina said.

“I am.”

“But, you are kissing me?”

“I am.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to?” Emma replied in question.

“Do you always do things when you want to?”

“Not all the time,” Emma stated.

“And, when haven’t you done what you wanted?” Regina asked her, arching a sculpted eyebrow.

“The first time I realized that I cared for you more than as a friend I didn’t tell you.”

“Well, it seems we both agreed on that point.”

“Don’t worry, Regina. I’m tired. I just want to go to bed and hold you. Is that okay?”

“Sounds delightful, Dear, perfectly delightful.”

 

Coraline sat in her room. It was next door to Regina and Emma’s and it was just as large. It was a suite and she didn’t know what she should do first. She wasn’t tired. She was wired. There was so much on her mind at that moment that she couldn’t make it stop. She couldn’t decide what emotion she should be feeling.

Her mothers had found each other and had admitted that they loved each other. Her future was secure in that aspect and that made her happy. She was worried about what Snow and Belle would say to her when she got back to Storybrooke. That made her worried. She was hopeful about how Henry would react to having his adult younger sister with him now. She was grateful for Emma, Regina and Blue accepting her for who and what she was and wanting to help her stop the horrific future. She would be sad to see Neal and Charming because she knew of the heartache to come. Ruby would frustrate her, but she was also her best ally, even if Red didn’t know it yet. Then, there were the feelings that she had developed quickly for Will. She wondered what she should feel for Will. 

Being angry was easy. She knew that, but there was more to it than that. She actually cared for Will. There was something about her that was familiar and soothing. It was one of the reasons that she couldn’t understand why she ran away from the diner. She knew that the case Will claimed that she was going on was a farce. She just didn’t understand it. She thought that Will was different. She didn’t think that she would lie to her.

She grabbed her cell phone and sat on the edge of the bed. In one hand she had the cell and in the other the remote to the TV, but she was at loss. She wanted to call Will and find out what was really going on. She wanted to tell her the truth, but she was afraid of what she would think at the same time. Then again, she wanted the mindlessness that TV could give her and the droning that would lull her to sleep. It was a paradox that she wasn’t sure that she could answer.

She stared at the blank TV. She wished that her mind could be so easily blank. She then stared at that screen on her cell phone. Will’s number was still on it along with the voicemails that she’d left hours earlier. She could only wonder what they said, but she still didn’t have the strength to listen to them. 

She walked across the suite to the adjoining door and knocked. She hadn’t realized that she had been sitting on the edge of the bed for over an hour. She didn’t pay attention to the clock on her cell phone. All she knew was that she needed her mother.

Emma answered the door and saw the look on her face. She placed a single finger to Coraline’s lips and pointed back into her room. She crossed the room and got a robe, before following her back into the other room. Emma watched her sit down on the edge of the bed.

“I can’t sleep.”

“I can see that, Kiddo. What is it? What is bothering you so much that you would come to us for help in the middle of the night?” Emma asked her.

“You wanted to speak to me earlier about what happened with Will,” Coraline started.

“Whoa, Kiddo. I figured that something happened between the two of you, but I don’t want any details. There are some things that a mother doesn’t ever need to know and that is one of them. I was just wondering how you were doing. I know that she kept you and found you for me, but she became particularly fond of you quickly,” Emma stated.

“You sound like, Mom.”

“Well, I’ve been around her enough to pick up some of her language, I’m sure. But, that still doesn’t answer the question. Why was Will so quick with you? Why did she run from us?”

“I might have warned her against Mom,” Coraline answered.

“You mean your mother’s wrath and anger.”

“Yes.”

“And, what did she say about that?”

“She laughed at me. She thought that I was kidding when I spoke of fireballs. She doesn’t know that we are truly fantastic. There is no way that she could know that. Is there?”

“Not that I can think of, Kiddo. At least, I hope that she doesn’t, because if she did then she might have known that I was to be the Savior. And, that would truly be a bitter pill for me to swallow. I would hate to have to lose her as a friend because she already knew what my destiny was to be before I did. I highly doubt it. She was a good friend to me and doubt that she would have been able to keep that a secret. She was probably laughing because she thought you were exaggerating a bit. I doubt that anyone outside of Storybrooke would have taken you seriously in that statement,” Emma told her.

“Oh, I know that. I visited outside the city a few times before I came to Boston. I find that I miss the forests though. I quit leaving town when I realized that I would find most of my answers in town from the people there than from the outside world. This realm doesn’t understand our ways and magic. They don’t think that it is real,” Coraline stated.

“No, we don’t. We don’t believe in magic until we see for it for ourselves. It is a crime here to believe in such things. Those that do are often taken away and hidden from the rest.”

“But why?”

“Because they are considered dangerous.”

“But, why?”

“Because they see things that others do not and they cause hope where some believe there should be none. Your brother is one of these men. He causes hope wherever he goes.”

“That is because he had the heart of the Truest Believer,” Coraline answered.

“And, you are the Swan Princess, Coraline, sworn protector of the Crown and daughter of two Queens of the realm. You, with the help of your aunts Red and Belle, have managed to keep the kingdom alive and safe for years. You will take up the mantel that I wear, Coraline. I am afraid that it is the burden of being a product of True Love. You will be the new Savior of the realm.”

“But that is a burden that I never wanted,” Coraline murmured.

“Nor did I, Coraline, nor did I. But, I found that with time I understood it. I learned to rely on it. I was made the Savior to save everyone and give them back their happy endings, even the Evil Queen herself. The ironic twist in that it seems that I am her happy ending and your are our proof. In her finding happiness with me, I will my find my own. It is a blessing and a curse for us both. But, you…you will be the one to restore the throne and restore the entire realm, not just the Kingdoms of the Winterlands and Summerlands. Do you understand that?”

“I do,” Coraline replied, hanging her head. “It is still a heavy burden and one that must bear alone. I will have no family to share it with, just allies who knew my family better than me.”

“I know, Coraline. I know that. Your mother and I will do everything that we can to stop that from happening, but if it is truly fate than we will do what can to ensure that you have the best chance that you can and all the protections that we can afford. You must know that we will do everything in our power to protect you,” Emma explained.

“I know that, Ma. I do. I really do, but that doesn’t make it any easier for me. I am here, now, with you only to know that my younger self will not have you past my fifth year. How am I supposed to go into this with that knowledge? How am I supposed to prepare you to leave me?”

“That is just it, Coraline. You aren’t. You are here to prepare us to stay with you. You will learn from us and we from you. This alliance will help us maintain the happy endings that we all want. That everyone in Storybrooke deserves, even your Uncle Neal.”

“How can you promise me something that you haven’t already delivered to me?” Coraline asked.

“Because we will find a way to deliver it to you,” Emma told her, holding her hands.

“You cannot promise something that I know has not been delivered.”

“In your timeline of knowledge, no, it isn’t something that you have. But, let me tell you of the time that I screwed up the timeline that I knew of, but things turned out because I had to rectify the changes that I made. If I hadn’t, then I wouldn’t be here. You aren’t trying to ensure the fact that you are born. We know that. You are trying to keep your family alive. Anything that you do here affects the future, Coraline. You have even warned us against that. What would you have us do? Nothing and let everything runs its course?” Emma asked.

“No, Ma, I would not.”

“Then, what do you want us to do, Coraline?”

“Teach me about a love so great that you would both die for it,” she told her through tears she didn’t know that she had been holding back.

Emma reached across and gathered her daughter into her arms. She held because she didn’t know what else to do. She kissed the top of her head and wept with her.

“How do you teach someone to love? How do you teach them that are things worth dying for when you were never taught those things? How can you explain that which you haven’t learned yourself? How do you love so completely when you were never loved? How do you know what the true meaning of family is when you never really had one?” Emma asked her.

“I don’t know,” Coraline answered.

“The answer is simple, my darling daughter,” Emma replied.

“And, what is it, Ma?”

“You find someone who can understand you and your pain. You find a way to let them inside the walls that you have built to protect you from things that have hurt you and things that you don’t understand. And, in a moment of clarity and epiphany, you realize that you love them with everything that you have, every fiber of your being and every desire in your heart.”

“And what does that teach you?” Coraline asked.

“It teaches you that you can be loved regardless of your pain and faults. It gives you something to strive for and the desire to protect that love at all costs, including your own life. Because to die for someone you love…it is a sacrifice made out of the purity of love. When you know that feeling and you’ve embraced it, then you will know what real love is. Then and only then will you understand the sacrifices that those around you have made for you, to keep you safe, well, and healthy. To know a love that great is to understand True Love. And, while it is true that not everyone gets their True Love. Your grandparents got it. Your mothers got it. So, be the rules of fate, Coraline, you will get it as well and when you do, fight for it,” Emma told her.

“Is that what you did with Mom?”

“After a fashion, yes, it is.”

 

Regina woke up to an empty bed. She saw the adjoining door open. She walked across the suite to hear Emma and Coraline talking. She smiled, because she knew that Coraline was having a harder time getting closer to Emma than she was to herself. She was about to turn away when she heard Emma’s voice talking about love. She leaned against the doorway, sure that they couldn’t see her from where she was standing.

“Is that what you did with Mom?” Coraline had asked her.

“After a fashion, yes, it is,” Emma had replied.

Regina smiled bigger. Emma was trying to help their daughter and she was discussing their love. She could only smile as Emma told her more.

“How?” Coraline asked.

“I realized early that I cared for your mother because she cared for Henry. It was endearing to me. She was this powerful woman who only wanted one thing.”

“What was that?”

“A child…more importantly someone to love. I didn’t find out until later the fate of her first love. I helped ruin her second, but that is another story all together.”

“I know about Robin Hood, Ma. The stories can be quiet scandalous depending on who is telling them. But, you both fought over Henry as well. Mom would say that the Charming genes were out to destroy her. But, I don’t think that is true. I think it is more of the White genes.”

“You laugh about it, but it is true.”

“How?”

“Well, I guess the feud actually started with your Great-grandmother Ava and your Grandmother Cora. Unfortunately for you both your Grams and Mom, the feud continued through the workings of your Grandmother Cora. That woman really didn’t know how to let go.”

“Neither did, Mom,” Coraline stated.

“No, she did. She realized that she didn’t want to become her mother and that she was very close to doing it. Your mother was very brave. She turned away from the darkness. She’s saved not only me, but your Grams countless times. She doesn’t regret what she’s done because it gave us a family, but don’t mistake that she isn’t sorry for it. She is.”

“I know that, Ma. And, so is Grams. They are both sorry for what they did to each other.”

“I know. I can see it in the way they interact. Don’t get me wrong, Kiddo. Your Grams isn’t going to take lightly the fact that your Mom and me are dating. She is going to be opposed to the idea, but we don’t care. And, do you know why?” Emma asked her.

“No, why?” 

“Because you are proof that we get our happy ending together and for us that is all that matters. We have both suffered in childhood, in loves lost, and in painful misgivings of things around us because we have become too blind to see the truth. Our upbringings scarred us, Coraline and that is something that we never wanted for you or Henry. Which is why we are so willing to fight for you and your future, why we are willing to die for you that you might have a better life, and why we are willing to change everything for your happiness,” Emma told her.

“I just want you.”

“I think that you want more, but you are afraid to tell me,” Emma stated.

“I do.”

“Then, call her.”

“But…”

“Forgive her.”

“But Ma…”

“No, Coraline, no buts. Call Will and see what is really going on. If she is of Lockley like your Grams, suspects, but I highly doubt, ask her to come back to Storybrooke. She might surprise us all and come. I’ll talk to her if she does. We will need some ground rules of course,” Emma told her, pulling her back on the bed with her until they reached the headboard.

“But, what about Mom?”

“What about her?”

“She’ll want to kill her,” Coraline stated.

“Let me deal with your mother. You deal with your heart and with Will. But, together, somehow, some way, we will save this family. All of it, including Will, if we must,” Emma said as she kissed her head goodnight. “Now, sleep, my little Swan. We’re going home tomorrow.”

Regina waited at the door for Emma. And she wasn’t surprised a few moments later like Emma was when she ran into Regina. Emma turned around to face her and was immediately brought into a fierce kiss.

“Well, hello to you, too,” Emma stated when Regina broke the kiss.

“You are amazing with her.”

“That is because she is me.”

It was the statement that got to Regina the most. The look on Emma’s face was a close second. Emma still thought of herself as a Lost Girl and that she wasn’t worthy. She understood Coraline on levels that Regina couldn’t, but she didn’t doubt that Emma loved her as much as she did. They both loved fiercely and completely when they let someone in. Now, all Regina had to do was make Emma that she was worthy every day and Regina wouldn’t have a problem with that as long as Emma loved them all. 

They were all connected because of Emma and she wasn’t going to let that connection break. Regina would do everything in her power and everything not in her power to keep her family safe. She wasn’t scared to die for them. In fact, she was proud of the fact that she would face death to protect them in the future. It did hurt that it meant Coraline wouldn’t have her, but she would fight to protect her daughter. Family was everything, blood or not, and Regina was going to make sure that it survived whatever this Blackness was that was coming.

“Don’t worry, Regina. We’ll figure this out. We always do,” Emma told her, pulling her back to bed, climbing inside and cuddling her.

“I am not worried about that, Emma.”

“Then what are you worried about?”

“I am worried about Coraline.”

“Why are you worried about Coraline?” Emma asked her.

“I am worried that she will never know how much we truly love her, but I will spend every day that we have with her trying to show her. I don’t want her to ever wonder if we loved, love her. We both dealt with that as children. I don’t want that for her,” Regina explained.

“And, she won’t. She doesn’t. And, do you know why I know that?”

“No, I don’t,” Regina replied.

“Because she can see it now.”

“But, that doesn’t help the fact that we were there for her as a child, Emma,” Regina said.

“Nope, it doesn’t, but we are going to find a way to make sure that it doesn’t happen.”

 

Ruby sat at the counter working the Sudoku in the Daily Mirror. She was working the late shift for Granny and hoping that Leroy didn’t do anything stupid tonight. She didn’t mind being in charge while Regina and Emma were gone, but Snow and Leroy were really starting to irk her.

“Ruby?” Snow asked, sitting down at the counter beside her/

Ruby turned and saw that she had Neal on her hip. She wanted to shake her head and not talk to her friend, but she didn’t. She grabbed her paper and pointed towards the booth in the back. At least there they would be comfortable and she could watch over the diner. Ruby took the seat against the wall. 

Snow didn’t even ask why and sat down across from her. Thankfully she had brought the baby carrier with her. She placed Prince Neal in the carrier. Once he was settled, she watched as Ruby made a gesture to one of the other waitresses in the diner. A few moments later, two steaming cups of hot cocoa with cinnamon were placed in front of them both.

“What’s up, Snow?” Ruby asked after taking a sip.

“Regina and Emma have a daughter,” Snow started.

“I know that.”

“No, I mean they make a daughter.”

“Which we have all met, but I fail to see your point.”

“It is a little ironic, don’t you think?” Snow asked.

“It is poetically ironic, but it is also beautiful. They understand each other. They share a son. They have gotten closer as they have saved us all time and time again. Yes, there is a history of animosity between them, but even you and Charming had your moments before falling in love.”

“I know that.”

“Then, what are you trying to say?” Ruby questioned.

“I have a granddaughter that is also my step-sister,” Snow quipped.

“Well, yes, but that would also make Henry your adopted brother,” Ruby added.

“Our family has some serious issues.”

“What family doesn’t?”

“I don’t know how to deal with this,” Snow admitted.

“Deal with what exactly?”

“How can I condone their …”

“By being the mother that Emma never had and being the mother that you are, love her.”

“I do.”

“Then, you have nothing to worry about,” Ruby told her.

“But, she is with Regina,” Snow stated.

“And, Regina is madly, absolutely, head-over-heels in love with Emma. She has been for a while, but she has been afraid to tell her. Coraline has brought them together. I don’t know if Coraline came back to ensure her own birth but I doubt it. She is more worried about stopping the Blackness that is coming than making sure she is born. It is like she knows that she’ll be born regardless of what she does. She is worried about Emma and Regina and not herself. Do you know that tells me about her?” Ruby asked her.

“No, I don’t.”

“That she loves just as deeply as Regina and Emma do. She is worried about her family and not herself. She is selfless and magical. That tells me that Emma and Regina did right by her. She has become the new Savior and from what I’ve seen of Emma’s trials that is a hard mantel to wear. But, like Regina and Emma, she carries that title with some trepidation and honor.”

“But, that is because you and Belle raised her,” Snow added.

“But, even you can see that she is a blend of them both.”

“I can.”

“Snow, I don’t think that it is because it’s Regina. There is more to your misgivings than that. What is really bothering you about this?”

“The fact that we all die. I know that we go into battle to protect our family. I know that you are by my side, but you raise my granddaughter. You do. Not my daughter. Not Regina. You do. Whatever attacked us was so great that they couldn’t defeat it together and Regina sent Coraline away with my best friend and her most unlikely ally. What does that say about what is coming?”

“That we have to learn to defend ourselves better. We need to let them do their research. This time it can be different. We’ve been given the warning by the survivor. Maybe that is her title.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you titled Charming Charming. You are the Princess. I am the Wolf. Emma is the Savior. Regina is the Queen. Belle is the Bookworm. Rumple is the Dark One. She is a survivor, just like her Grams, and her mothers.”

“But she is the Swan Princess,” Snow replied.

“That she is, but she is also a Charming, a White, and a Mills. She is your granddaughter which puts her in line for your thrown. She obviously doesn’t want that job too much.”

“That is Emma’s way of thinking,” Snow stated snickering.

“Because she loves her family, she’s risk her own existence to come stop everyone from dying. I think that it is a noble cause. I will support them and Regina.”

“By why have you suddenly become so supportive of Regina, Ruby? She’s never done anything to help you. What aren’t you telling me?”

“Ruby Elizabeth Lucas, this isn’t break time,” Granny shouted from the kitchen.

“It’s a long and complicated story, but let’s just say this: we’ve got more in common than we thought possible. I need to talk to her anyway. Let me go see what Granny needs. Wait here. I’ll be back in a minute,” Ruby told her getting up from the table.

“What aren’t you telling me, Ruby?” Snow asked staring at the diner’s wall.

 

Across town Belle was serving dinner to Rumple. He looked happy and Belle was afraid of what he would do when she told him the truth, but she promised him that they wouldn’t lie to each other anymore. It had cost them too much time already. They agreed to be honest and she did have her reservations about telling him the truth about Coraline.

“What’s wrong, Dearie?” Rumple asked her.

“I have something that I need to tell you, and it isn’t going to be easy to hear,” Belle told him.

“Belle, sit down and tell me. It can’t be that bad. There is nothing that you can tell me that would be bad. You aren’t the Dark One, so I serious doubt that it is that serious,” he said.

She sat down and looked at him. She took a drink of water and sat the glass back on the table. She watched as he served his plate and waited for her to tell him. When she didn’t say anything, he gestured for her to tell him.

“It concerns Coraline,” Belle started.

“Your baby sister?” he questioned.

“Yeah.”

“What about her, Dearie?”

“She isn’t my sister.”

“What do you mean by that? Of course she is Belle. She looks like your mother. She sounds just like you. She acts like you. Your brothers have threatened every male that looks at her. Your father has even come to me about making sure that she doesn’t end up with anyone magical. I didn’t help him by the way,” Rumple explained as he started to eat.

“No, Rumple, she isn’t my blood.”

His fork and knife dropped to the plate. He picked up his glass and took a healthy drink. He sat the glass back down and pushed back in his chair. He folded his arms on the table and waited for her to continue. The look in his eyes frightened her, but she had to tell him.

“She is Regina’s daughter.”

“And, why do you think that, dearie?”

“Because she told me that she was.”

“That proves nothing. She is younger and alone. She just wants attention, nothing more.”

“She can read Regina’s diaries,” she added.

“So, I can read them too. So can anyone who gets their hands on them. We all know how to read and write. You can read mine if you want, but they do get rather nasty in places. I should clean the pages, but I find that the gore actually punctuates the tales better.”

“Rumple!”

“I am merely stating the truth, Dear.”

“She can read them because of blood magic. She is Regina’s daughter. But, that isn’t the only thing that she has told us.”

“Us?” he asked, trying to hide his evident anger.

“She’s also Emma’s daughter.”

“Now, I know that you are wrong. Regina wants nothing to do with our precious Savior except share time with Henry. He is her main concern. I don’t know what story Coraline had concocted but it sounds like a good one. I wouldn’t worry too much about, Belle. She is just lonely now that we are married. She misses you. There is nothing more to it,” Rumple told her.

“Yes, there is,” Belle said quietly and hoped that Rumple wouldn’t do anything drastic to her. 

 

Snow was just putting Prince Neal down for the evening when her phone rang. She hoped that it wasn’t David telling her that something had happened. Then, she hoped that it was Emma calling to tell her that she’d be home soon. She was surprised when it was actually Regina.

“Regina?”

“Hello, Snow,” she said.

“Wha-? Why are you calling? Did something happen to Emma? Coraline?”

“No, you daughter is fine, as is your granddaughter. I need to talk to you. It is important.”

“You need to talk to me?”

“Yes, I do.”

“About?”

“Emma and Coraline,” Regina stated.

“What about them?”

“I want to do this in person.”

“I see. Well, I’m free most nights. When are you all coming home?” Snow asked her.

“Tomorrow morning, hopefully will be home around lunch time.”

“Do you want to meet in the early afternoon then?”

“That’s fine, dear. I would give you a time, but I don’t know what is going to actually happen when we get back. I know that Emma is going to call you and ask you to arrange a family dinner, which we can have at my house. Before you object, I can handle more people.”

“A family dinner?”

“Yes, a family dinner.”

“Well, I’ll await your call, then,” Snow told her.

“Goodnight, Snow.”

“Goodnight, Regina.”

The line went dead and she stared at her phone. Her senses were tinkling and she didn’t like it. She looked over at Neal and smiled. She thought about Emma and smiled. She thought about David and Henry and smiled. Then, she thought about Coraline and Regina and she smiled. Then she thought about Regina, alone, and she got worried. What was going on in Storybrooke?


	15. Chapter 15

When Regina woke the next morning, she found Emma standing at the window staring down in the harbor below. A single cup of coffee in her hand, she seemed lost in her thoughts. It was barely eight thirty and hardly time for such deep thought for the sheriff. Regina looked at her from the bed and wondered what had her so upset. 

“Dear?”

“Sorry, did I wake you?”

“No, I used to getting up early. I have a town to run, remember? And, I had a son to get ready for school. I don’t exactly sleep in. You should know that by now.’

“I know. I do. I am sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?” Regina asked her.

“I’ve been thinking.”

“That is a dangerous habit for a Charming.”

“I know.”

“Emma, I was joking,” she replied getting up off the bed and walked across the room to her.

“I know.”

“What is it, Dear?”

“Do you think we are doing the right thing?” Emma asked, suddenly turning around on her.

“What do you mean?”

“With Coraline? Are we doing the right thing? Or, should we let her do this alone?”

“I am not sure I understand your question,” Regina told her.

“Do you think that we should be forcing her back to Storybrooke?”

“She needs us,” Regina stated defensively.

“I am not saying she doesn’t, Regina. But, she doesn’t know us. She is looking for something that I am not sure that we can give her. Don’t look at me like that. I want to fight. I want to stop this new curse because it seems that we can never just have a peaceful happily ever after ever with our lineages. I’ve come to grips with that, but that doesn’t mean that I want it for my children. She has fought so much…”

“I know that.”

“And, now, we are asking her to fight more.”

“She is asking us to fight alongside her, Emma. And, I would go back with her if I thought it would help, but I know that if I did that it would cause her not to be born. I don’t want to lose your and Henry, but I don’t want to lose her either. I will fight and will continue fighting until that fateful day. Please don’t ask me not to,” Regina explained.

“I am not asking you that. I am wondering if we shouldn’t just let her come back when she wants. She isn’t looking into your history, Regina. She’s looking into mine. I know that I told her that I would take her to New York and I will. I just wonder if we are doing the right thing.”

“We are helping our daughter, Emma. We are doing the right thing. We are doing what any parent would in our situation,’ Regina replied.

“And what is that?”

“We are trying to help our daughter find her happiness.”

“Then, let’s wake her and get this show on the road,” Emma answered suddenly sated by Regina’s answers to her fears.

“I’ll do it,” Regina told her as she crossed back across the room and knocked on the door to the adjoining room.

She waited a few seconds and knocked again when she didn’t get a response. Emma saw the look in her eyes and joined her by the door. She knocked harder than Regina had and called out Coraline’s name. When she didn’t get a response, she crossed the room back over to her jeans. She pulled them on and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” Regina asked her.

“To wake our daughter,” Emma replied.

“If knocking on her door didn’t wake it, we should call.”

“Nope.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I have a key,” Emma stated holding up a secondary key card to Coraline’s room. “I palmed it last night while I was talking to her just in case something like this happened. I like to be prepared. I didn’t think that it would look good for me to try and pick the lock.”

“Be prepared? In case something like this happened? What are you saying?”

“She might have run again, Regina. Her car is downstairs in the car park. She is smart enough. She could have gone and we would have never known because we were asleep.”

“Open it!”

Emma didn’t need to be told twice. She went out the door and walked down the hall. Regina didn’t follow her. She waited at the adjoining door. Emma dropped the key card into the lock and waited for the green light. She burst into the room and let Regina inside.

The room didn’t even look like it had been used. The bed didn’t even look like it had been slept in. It was perfectly made. Emma caught Regina’s eyes. She already had her cell phone out and was about to call Will, because she didn’t know who else could find her as quickly as she could. When she spun around to find the small bag that Coraline had packed tucked back in a chair at the table, she finally let out a sigh.

“She didn’t leave,” Emma stated.

“How do you know? There is no one here. It doesn’t look anyone has been here.”

“She left her bag. She wouldn’t have left it. She’s still here.”

“And, how would you know that?” Regina asked.

“Because she is just like me in that respect. She packs light and the essentials. She’s a survivor. She didn’t run, but she isn’t here. She’ll be back. We just need to wait.”

“How can you be so damn calm about this?” Regina barked.

“Because she is my daughter and I understand how she thinks.”

“Well that is reassuring, Dear.”

“Let’s just go back to our room and wait. I am sure that she has some rational explanation for not being here right at this second. Just…we need to believe in her, Regina. If we can’t do that, then we can’t help her fight this Blackness,” Emma told her.

“Sometimes it is really insufferable that you are a Charming, you know that.”

“Hey, I can’t help that. At least, I am not as giddy as Snow all the time. And, even you have to admit that it is good that we always find each other. Otherwise, we might have lost   
Henry in Neverland or we could lose Coraline. That is not something that I am willing to do.”

“Nor am I,” Regina replied.

“So, being a Charming has its moments.”

“At least you aren’t nauseating like the two idiots. You don’t always think everything through, but you do manage to come out on top after running into the fray. And, I don’t think that I will ever be able to fully understand their pervasive optimism, but you are proof that sometimes nature can still override nurture,” Regina told her.

“I am not sickeningly optimistic,” Emma retorted.

“No, Dear, you aren’t. I think that is why I like you so much better. You don’t make me nauseous. I actually find you very endearing,” Regina said.

“Really now?” Emma questioned her.

Regina smiled and came over to where she was. She gathered Emma in her arms and gave her a deep and meaningful kiss. Emma melted into her arms.   
They didn’t notice the door to the room open. They certainly didn’t know that Coraline had come back into the room with them. She was staring at them, holding a tray of coffee. She just smiled at them and took a swig from her coffee cup. She let them continue to kiss for a while before she cleared her throat.

“Oh…you’ve brought coffee. Bless you, child. Bless you,” Emma stated, letting Regina go and taking a cup of coffee from Coraline’s tray. 

“Yeah, I know how you can both be a bear early in the morning if you hadn’t had coffee.”

“I am not a bear,” Regina stated taking her cup.

“Um…well, no, but you aren’t pleasant until you do,” Emma commented.

“Are you insinuating that I need coffee to pleasant, Dear?” Regina asked.

“No, just stating facts about you in the morning. Now, what’s the first thing that you get in the morning? A cup of coffee. If you missed getting one at home because Henry made you late, you stop at Granny’s. If you are really late, then you wait to get it until you get to the office. There have been mornings I have brought you coffee because we are having a meeting.”

“If you insist that I am somehow dependent on coffee, Miss Swan…”

“No, Mom, she isn’t. She is just saying that you need morning coffee to wake up and be yourself. I’ve read your diaries from Neverland. Those weren’t your most pleasant mornings. But, don’t feel bad about it. Emma needs her cocoa with cinnamon. It’s all good, Moms.”

They just started at her. They couldn’t believe that she knew how well she knew them. It was almost too much for them. But, then again, she did look like both of them. She moved like them. She was the perfect blend of them both. She smiled at them, knowing that they were staring at her in disbelief.

“Okay, so who freaked out first?” she asked them.

“What are you talking about?”

“Who freaked out because I wasn’t in the room or I didn’t answer the door?”

“Umm…” Emma started.

“We were worried about you,” Regina answered.

“So, it was both of you. Got it. I’ll leave a note next time.”

“Thank you, Darling,” Regina replied.

“Look. I know that we are going to have to get used to each other and things are going to be weird for a while, but we are family. And, we stick together no matter what. I know that I haven’t acted like I needed you and I am sorry for that, but I just…”

“You don’t have to explain, Coraline. I understand. I really do. You don’t know us except from Regina’s writings. You’ve probably read everything that Belle could get her hands on, so when you began to read your mother’s journals, you had limited things to base it on. You could only use your memories and the stories the Red and Belle told you to see what was true and what wasn’t. You didn’t know us as well as they did and I am sure that they tried. But, not having your parents or not having parents, it is hard to reconcile things with them when you do later.”

“I know,” Coraline replied.

“Look, I get that you don’t trust us fully. I do. I get that you feel like you should run away and figure out how to fight this thing on your own. But, you do have a family that is willing to help you. We may not be the family you remember or the family that you hoped for, but we are still your family. And, I am willing to fight just because of that,” Emma explained.

“As am I, Darling,” Regina added.

“I think we should head back. Check out is in a couple of hours and if we leave soon we can make it back around lunch time or just after. It is a four hour trip right?”

“It is.”

“Do you want one of us to ride with you, Darling?” Regina asked her.

“You can if you want, Mom. I am sure that there is more you want to ask me. I am not sure that I want to answer it all, but I will do my best. At this point, I don’t think it matters. If things are going to change, they are going to change. The journals haven’t yet.”

“Have you been added to the journals?” Emma asked.

“No, I haven’t. But, then, I don’t really have that many from around now. I have the ones from before the Curse and up to Neverland. Then they start up around the time that we all end up back in the Enchanted Forest. And, those lead up to the day we fled.”

“I think that is a starting point then,” Emma stated.

“What is, Dear?”

“Your journals from now are missing in the future. Maybe you hid them so we would have to tell her where to find them. Or, maybe we are already changing the future and that is why she doesn’t have them. Could that be it?” Emma asked.

“Or, maybe because I quit journaling a while ago because I didn’t see the need any longer.”

“Or there’s that,” Coraline added amused at her mother’s.

“Then, you need to start back. Maybe it will trigger something down the road. It might help us later. Or, it could help Coraline in the future,” Emma rambled.

“I’ll think about it, Dear, but I am not promising anything. We should be going. I don’t want to be out here too long and we’ve already been here two days. We need to get back to make sure that Snow’s minions haven’t tried to overthrow the Wolf yet and make Snow queen.”

“They haven’t.”

“How do you ---? Never mind, don’t answer that. Come on, let’s go.”

Regina let Emma leave the room. She leaned over to Coraline. She held her arms at her side and touched her forehead to Coraline’s. It was a sign of endearment and one that Coraline remembered. It was an emotional hug of sorts from her mother, the Evil Queen, when her emotions got the best of her and she didn’t know what to say.

“It’s okay, Mom.”

“Will you let me read them?”

“Your journals?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know that I should.”

“No, Dear, not the ones from the future, but the ones from the past. I want to know what you’ve learned about me from them. I want to be able to explain myself, my actions, my emotions.”

“You don’t have to worry about it, Mom.”

“Why not?” Regina asked.

“I know the truth.”

“And, what truth is that?’

“Why you picked Ruby,” Coraline told her.

Regina back up and gave her a look. Coraline just smiled at her. She didn’t let her go before she told her everything.

“I know who Ruby is. I know what you’ve done for her. I would never betray that trust and neither does she. As far as I know, Emma never finds out why you two are so close. I know that Grams suspects something, but Emma always calmed her fears. The secret is still safe.”

“How?”

“I asked her after I read the part when your father told you the truth. It was hard to swallow, but it made so much sense. She is weirdly loyal to the one that tried to destroy her best friend and her goddaughter. But, then she is fiercely loyal to Emma in a way that even Snow couldn’t understand. Even when the wars started, you had to send her Snow to protect Snow. She didn’t want to leave you or Emma, especially after Granny’s death.”

“She would.”

“Snow sent her to give you word of their coming. She knew that Red was the only one who could break through the lines and not be too injured to pass the message. Red might have also volunteered for the job. She needed to make sure you were okay. That is why she still searched for you after it was all over. You were her last connection. She didn’t have anyone else.”

“But, she found Belle. She had you and Belle. You are her last connection, Coraline.”

“She is my Aunt Ruby, but I don’t think she even knew that I knew it all. She hides behind her cape and Wolf, Mom. You know that. What would people think if they knew who she really was? What would they do? It wasn’t like it was public knowledge,” Coraline explained.

“I know and that was for her own safety. I sent her that cloak as soon as I knew. She was merely a child at the time. She hadn’t changed yet, but Granny knew who it was from. I left them alone. I let them get away with things that I have killed others for. I showed her favoritism at every turn because I couldn’t acknowledge her properly,” Regina told her.

“I know, Mom. She was never bitter about it. She was grateful, especially when you protected the wolves. It made things safer for her and her pack mates. She never forgot what you did for her. That is why she was so strict with me. She didn’t want me to get hurt. She didn’t want me to suffer for being your daughter. She was trying to protect me the only way she knew how.”

“By pretending to be your aunt, when she really was your aunt.”

“Yes, Mom, by pretending, like you both did. Never acknowledging the fact that she was your half-sister and never bringing undue attention to herself or to me. She protected the family.”

“She knows though,” Regina stated.

“What do you mean?”

“She knows now that she is my half-sister.”

“I know.”

“She tries to help me.”

“She does.”

“Her mother and my father…”

“She’s never betrayed your trust, Regina and she never will. She always advocated banishment or a jail cell for you, never your death. And, do you know why?”

“Because I let her go.”

“Because you are her sister and in her own wolf way, she loves you,” Coraline told her.

“We need to go.”

“We do.”

“We’ll talk more about this later.”

“I am sure that we will, Mom. I am sure that we will. Better not keep Ma waiting or she’ll come back up here for us. You ready?” Coraline asked her.

“As I think I ever can be around you, Darling.”

Coraline laughed and took her mother’s hand, pulling her back into the other room. She grabbed her small pack on the way and the key. Once she was back in their room, she helped Regina get her things and they headed for the elevator. Once they were on their way down, they both let a deep sigh. It surely was going to be an interesting four hours back to Storybrooke. Coraline wondered what tales she and Regina would regale each other with. She laughed again. Things weren’t going to be easy, but she had her family and that was what mattered most for them all. 

Her family is what she was fighting. Her family is what she was willing to bend all the rules concerning the future for. Family is what she craved and now she had it in spades. She was trying to make sure that she could keep it in the future. Time was her only true enemy now. Time and the Blackness…

 

They made it back to Storybrooke in due time. The construction on the highways hadn’t stopped and slowed them down. By the time they actually made it in town, it was midafternoon and they were hungry. Emma pulled up to Granny’s and Regina parked behind her. They walked inside the dinner together. Before they could even sit in a booth, Snow and Charming were coming in the back door. When Emma and Coraline saw them, they redirected to the front booth that had the table edge. Regina didn’t say anything as she sat down on the inside of the table next to Emma. Coraline sat at the edge, next to Prince Neal in a carrier.

“I see you made it back,” Charming said sitting down.

“We did,” Emma replied.

“Was there much traffic?” Snow asked.

“Tons,” Coraline added.

Ruby brought over cups of coffee and cocoa and some waters. She didn’t bother getting their orders before walking away. As she left, Coraline and Regina shared a look but kept quiet. They said so much to each other now without saying an actual word.

“Excuse me, Emma. I need to get out, please,” Regina told her. “I need to…”

“No worries,” Emma replied, standing up and letting her out of the booth.

Snow watched as Emma silently watched Regina move around the diner. She didn’t say anything because the look on Emma’s face told her enough. When Charming caught the same look on her face, he squeezed Snow’s knee and kept track of Emma’s gaze.

“So, Coraline, how was Boston?” he asked trying to break the silence.

“It was…enlightening, to say the least.”

“Did you find what you needed?” Snow asked.

Emma’s head spun at the question. She waited for Coraline’s answer but she was still apprehensive about the fact that Snow knew that Coraline was her and Regina’s daughter. She was still wondering how Snow was processing that little factoid. 

“I believe that I have, yes,” Coraline answered.

“That’s good,” Charming stated with his usual smile.

Ruby dropped off plates of burgers and salads. There was a pile of fries. She was turning to go when Regina came back from the restrooms. Emma watched as Regina and Ruby’s eyes caught and held. There was silent conversation between them and Ruby nodded. They both headed for the back door, which meant outside to talk, alone and away from prying public ears. Emma decided that she would wait to see how long they were going to be gone before she went after Regina. She was still worried, but she couldn’t pinpoint what she was worried about exactly.

They ate quietly. Occasionally, Snow or Charming would ask a question. And, dutifully Coraline or Emma would answer it. Emma could tell that Snow was holding back. She wanted to know more, but she was probably waiting for them to tell her. It was hard for her. She could see it on Snow’s face, but it was also probably at the prompting of Charming that she wait to find out whatever she wanted to know. So, she would wait, but that didn’t mean that she would be happy about it. Emma could see it and Snow knew it.

“Soon, Mom, soon. We’ll tell you everything soon. I promise.”

“Regina said something about a dinner at her place. Are you going to tell us then? She made sure to tell me that she wanted a family dinner after you all came home,” Snow told her.

“Yes, Snow, that is when we will tell more. We are…still trying to decipher some things and get a better handle on others. I want to be able to answer most of your questions when we tell you.”

“As long as you tell us,” she stressed.

Regina still hadn’t come back in yet for her salad. Emma was starting to worry about her. She was still trying to process her feelings and everything that they meant to each other. It was still new and hard for them both. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Regina. She didn’t trust anyone else with her, now. Too much hatred and too much pain caused her mistrust issues. She knew that Regina understood because she had her own trust issues.

“Excuse me,” Emma told them, standing up from the table.

“Problem, Emma?” Snow asked.

“No, not yet…”

“Just let me know if you need help,” Charming told her, watching her go towards the back of the diner. 

“Uh huh, yeah,” she said as she was almost to the back door.

“She’s worried about Mom,” Coraline stated.

“We know,” Charming replied.

“You don’t care?” Coraline asked.

“It…I…we…I just want her to be happy,” Snow told her.

“Does she make her happy, Coraline?” Charming asked her point blank.

“Exceedingly,” Coraline told them before drinking her cocoa.

 

Rumple was across the street watching them. He couldn’t stand being lied to and that it was the lot of them had done. He was seething. He didn’t understand how he could have missed the fact that Coraline was really Regina’s daughter. He wasn’t sure if it changed anything, but he wasn’t happy about it either. How could she have an adult daughter that he didn’t know about? Could she be something like Zelena? Could she have been a cast off of Regina’s? But, Belle had told him that she was also Emma’s.

There they were all sitting like a family and enjoying each other company. Belle told him that Coraline was from the future and it was a future without the Dark One. He doubted this tale because nothing could kill the Dark One. Belle had his dagger. He was safe. He couldn’t figure out what angle Coraline was trying to use. 

“Why would she come back here? Now? What happens?” he asked himself.

He decided that he would talk to her after everyone had gone home. He didn’t want to start anything with the Charmings and if she really was Emma and Regina’s, he didn’t want to do anything to endure the wrath of them combined. He would be civil at first. He would ask her why she was really there and what his fate was. 

He hated that he couldn’t see his future anymore. Storybrooke gave him Belle and power, but it wasn’t everything he wanted. He would use Coraline to find out what he could about his future. The future could be damned, he was going to get his happiness or he would force to come to him with magic. He used Regina to perform the curse. He found and lost Balefire, again. He gained a grandson and some redemption, but he still craved power. It was his weakness and his own personal curse. He always needed more to not feel like a coward and being the Dark One, he always sought out ways to amass more power and more magic. He would take Coraline’s if needed. He would just have to make her understand that it was for the greater good of the town and by that, he meant his greater good.

 

Emma found Ruby and Regina talking outside. She didn’t wait this time. She just burst out the back door and inserted herself into the conversation.

“Well that didn’t take as long as I thought,” Ruby stated.

“What didn’t?” Regina asked her.

“Emma, coming to get you.”

“She didn’t come to get--…Emma, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong except you are out here and not in there. What’s going on? What did y’all have to come out here to talk about that you couldn’t share with the rest of us?” Emma asked.

“It is a family matter,” Regina stated.

“Considering that we are going to be family and we share Coraline, I consider you already family. So, what gives? What’s going on? What are you two telling me?”

“Someone sounds like Henry,” Ruby added.

“Seriously, Wolf-pup, not right now.”

“Someone want to tell me why this is so important when we just brought our daughter home, ‘cause I am really stressed out and tired. I just want to take her home and go to bed. I am sure that Mom and Dad are going to be a handful. I’ll deal with them later. Plus, you have a perfectly good salad in there that hasn’t been touched,” Emma complained.

“I’m sorry, Dear, but this couldn’t wait. I needed to know if Ruby had any more information for me. I gave her an assignment to do while we were gone,” Regina told her.

“You’re lying, Regina. Why are you lying? You know that I can always tell when you are lying. Just tell me. It can’t be that big of a deal,” Emma stated.

“I’ll tell you later, Dear. But, you are right, we should return to your and our family. I call you later Ruby. Be sure to tell Belle as well. We will meet later to discuss the dinner.”

“I’ll tell Granny I need tomorrow night off. See you later, Ems. I’d better get back inside before she comes looking for me anyway. Glad that you are back, though. I am tired of running the town. I didn’t realize how needy half the town is. It is all yours again, guys,” Ruby told her, wiping her hands on a towel that she had been holding and heading back inside.

“No, Regina. Just no. We aren’t going back inside until you tell me what that was about.”

“Can you trust me long enough to wait until later?” she asked Emma.

“Is it pivotal to the Blackness or Coraline?”

“Not really, no, it isn’t. I just had Ruby look into some old familial lines for me. She just thought that I would want to know because there was a suspicion was correct.”

“You aren’t going to tell me, right now, are you?”

“Tomorrow night at the family dinner, I promise. I will tell you everything then. Can you at least give me until then to make sure that it is safe to tell you everything?”

“I trust you, Regina. I’ll wait. But, only until tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

“I missed you,” Emma added.

“I wasn’t far, Dear.”

“I know that, but it didn’t feel that way. I could tell that something upset you. I don’t like it when you are upset, especially if there is something that I can do to prevent it. Regina…we have a daughter. We shared a moment in the near future that meant enough to both us to create her. I…don’t want to lose whatever it is that we found in Boston. I don’t want to lose you…”

“I know that, Emma. I don’t either. I’m telling you the truth. This news doesn’t affect anything important. It just explains some things that have happened on both sides,” Regina told her.

“And how does that help me?” Emma asked her.

“It gave me a reason to keep a little light inside my blackness. There were things around me that I held onto while my mother and Rumple did their worst to me, Emma. Things that I had long buried to protect myself and to the others that were involved in those secrets. I couldn’t let harm come to those that didn’t deserve it. I know that sounds odd coming from me, but it was the truth. There were those I protected and some may have questioned my reasoning, but they were wise enough not to look into to or question me aloud about it.”

“And, Ruby knew where to look?”

“Yes, she did.”

“And, for whatever this information is, she never gave it to Snow, either?”

“No, she didn’t,” Regina replied.

“It must be something extra special then for Red to keep it from Snow,” Emma stated.

“It is.”

“Then, I’ll patiently wait for you to tell me what it is. I don’t have to like it, but if Ruby deemed it important enough not to tell anyone about it, then I will wait. But, please, don’t make me wait too long or I might have to bug Ruby to find out. She’ll eventually give in and we both know it.”

“I am sure that she would, Dear. Right now, I just want to go home and rest. I think we all should. Would you mind telling your parents good-bye for me? I am just going to go.”

“What about your salad?” Emma asked.

“I’ve already packed it to go,” Regina told her, suddenly holding a to-go plate.

“Regina…”

“If you insist, you can come over later. But for now, I just want to rest. I also need to make Henry dinner. Come over later. Say seven o’clock. Dinner will be ready. I’ll be rested and we can talk some more, one on one, once I get Henry plugged into a video game or movie.”

“Okay, I’ll see you later.”

“Dinner, Dear. It is only a few hours away. Until then,” Regina told her, kissed her cheek and poofed home before Emma could reply.

“I really hate it when she does that,” Emma muttered as she headed back into the diner.

 

Rumple followed Emma and Coraline to Regina’s house later that night. He knew that Belle would be wondering where he was, but she would give him his space. There was just something about the way that the Savior and the Queen were moving around each other that bothered him more and more the longer he lingered. He knew that they couldn’t see them and he wasn’t daft enough to actually break the plane of Regina’s property. He would watch from afar and use his magic to gather the intelligence that he wanted. He would wait and he would find out what he wanted to know. 

Before he realized it, dinner was over. Emma and Regina had moved to her study to talk and Coraline and Henry were playing video games. It seemed like another normal night at the Mills house before Belle’s revelation except that Coraline was still there. And, that is what bothered him the most. The girl had not simply left after dinner, she’d made herself at home. It just wasn’t right when there weren’t others over. Regina just didn’t let anyone over and she didn’t let anyone be alone with Henry unless she trusted them completely. Rumple was the only exception to that because he was Henry’s grandfather.

About an hour later, Emma got up and got Coraline and headed back into town. Emma dropped Coraline off at Belle’s old place before heading to her parents’ small house. He knew that she rarely stayed at the loft unless Henry was spending the night with her. She didn’t like the quiet.

He waited until Emma was gone before he approached the door. He still wasn’t sure what he was going to say to her. But, his anger was boiling and he knew it. He needed to remain calm. If she truly was the daughter of Emma and Regina, then her magic would be strong and highly unpredictable. He didn’t want to start something that he couldn’t finish. He needed to find her weakness quickly before she could turn on him.

He knocked on the door and waited. Her look of shock wasn’t surprising. He never came to visit her before. He always had Belle invite Coraline over. He was trying to be a good brother-in-law, but now he knew that it had all been a lie.

“Rumple? What do I owe the pleasure of you coming to darken my door? Is something wrong with Belle?” Coraline asked him.

“No, Dearie. Belle is fine. It is you that has the problem,” he told her through clenched teeth.

Coraline visibly winced and backed up into the house. She stared at him and could see the flashes of green in his eyes. Unlike Regina, she wouldn’t back down to him. She knew his game and his intimidation tactics. But, unlike her mother, she had never been on the receiving end.

“Do come in, Rumple and explain yourself.”

“I don’t need to come in. You need to come out. This is not your house.”

“Ah, but I believe it is. Or, have you forgotten? Belle gave it to me after you two wed.”

“No, she gave it to a sister that doesn’t exist. You are not her blood, therefore this house is not yours. I want you out,” he demanded.

“I don’t think that you can do that.”

“You have no idea what I can do, Dearie.”

“Actually, Dark One, I do. I know more than you think I do. And, the only one that can remove me from this house is Belle and doubt that she will allow that to happen. You have   
no authority over me. Your words do not move me, Rumpelstiltskin, and they never will.”

“So, it is true. You are from the future. Tell me, young imposter, who is the Dark One then?”

“There is no Dark One, Rumple. There is only the Blackness. You are no more.”

“Lies!!!”

“Does it look like I am lying to you?” she questioned him.

“It doesn’t matter what it looks like. You have already proven that. You have done nothing but lie since you got to town, whenever that really was. You aren’t Belle’s sister and therefore you have no legal standing to stay in this house. You will remove yourself or I will call the Sheriff.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea. Call my Ma and tell her you are kicking me out. She’ll call Belle and things will just end badly for all involved. Do you really want that?” Coraline asked him.

“How so?” he inquired.

“If you hurt me, you hurt Belle. And, what does a hurt Belle do to Rumple? She hurts him. And, what happens when Belle hurts Rumple? He gets pushed over the town line and not seen for months. And what happens when he hurts someone that Belle cares about like family? Well, let’s just say that you don’t want to know. I know that she has your dagger. Would you like me to call her? I’ll tell her you stopped by and what you wanted. Do you think that she would take your side in the matter, Rumple? Do you honestly think that Belle would let you hurt me?”

“You’ve hurt Belle and I will have my vengeance for that.”

“Did I hurt Belle? Yes, I mislead her. Did I tell her the truth? Yes, I did. I explained the situation to the best of my ability without causing a major rift in the future. Has she forgiven me for it? I would like to think so, because Belle is a smart girl and very understanding. She is also hellaciously forgiving, as you well know,” Coraline said

“You will leave this house!” he demanded.

She heard the storm brewing, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to let another person tell her what to do. He wasn’t family. He didn’t know what was coming. He didn’t understand the magnitude of his actions. Hell, he could even be the trigger for all she knew. But, she wasn’t going to budge from that house unless Belle, Regina, Ruby or Emma made her. And, she knew that none of them would.

“No, I will not.”

Thunder and lightning flashed across the sky. The rain started down in torrents, but of course, Rumple wasn’t getting wet. She was in the house and was glad for it. She disliked deluges.

Rumple started mumbling under his breath. His smile turned sickeningly sweet. There was a smell in the air and then she recognized it as magic. The imp was going to force her hand or force her out. She didn’t want to use magic against him. It was still unrestrained, uncontrolled and unpredictable. She might kill him for all she knew when her magic.  
Suddenly, her feet were moving across the floor and out the door. She couldn’t stop herself. Before she realized it, she was standing in the rain, looking up at him on the steps.

“This is no longer your house. You are not welcome here. You may not enter,” he told her, before giving his obnoxious giggle and poofing away.

“Oh, that is what you think, Rumple. Wait until I tell Belle about this. Or, better yet, my Moms. We’ll see who wins this battle,” she said to the air.

She walked back up the stairs to the door. She turned the knob and pushed the door open. She took a step to go inside and get out of the rain, but found herself flung from the doorway, off the steps and into a puddle of mud.

“Motherfucker! Well, this is going to be an interesting evening,” she said to herself as she reached for her pocket and her cellphone. “Well fuck me running.”

She looked up inside the house. She could see her cell phone sitting next to her key ring and wallet. And, now, she couldn’t get to them because Rumple had put some sort of magical blockade against her on the door.

“Fuckity fuck fuck,” she screamed, and ran at the doorway again summoning her magics.


	16. Chapter 16

She knocked on the door. She didn’t even realize what time it was. She was cold and wet. She just wanted to sleep. She leaned into the door.

It was the last place that she thought to go, but it was the first place that her feet took her. She looked at the white door and took a deep breath. She raised her hand and knocked again. It was a little harder. She could hear movement this time. Now, as she stood there in the freezing weather, rain soaked and cold. She hoped that Henry was at Emma’s because she didn’t want to hear Regina’s wrath for waking him.

She turned around to face the street. She hugged her body and willed herself warm, for what little good it did. She was afraid to do anything more because of how out of control her powers had been lately. She figured that was what brought her to Regina.

She sighed as she leaned back into the door. Her teeth had started chattering. She hugged herself tighter as the door swung open. She barely righted herself before Regina had her hands around her waist to steady her.

“Cora1ine?” Regina asked.

She could hear the fight and anger leaving her voice as she ushered her into the house. She stopped them by the coat tree right inside the foyer. She pealed Coraline’s wet jacket off and hung it up. She pointed at the shoes which she barely managed to kick off. If Regina hadn’t been holding her up, she would have fallen.

“What happened?” she asked, genuinely concerned.

“Rumple kicked me out.”

“Kicked you out of where?” she asked.

“Belle’s old house.”

“Why?”

“I am not family. I lied to him. I have magic. Take your pick. He has a list of reasons.”

“That insipid imp! I’ll deal with him tomorrow. Come in. We need to get you warm.”

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Bother him. I deserve it. I lied to everyone.”

“I know.”

“I had nowhere else to go. I...I didn’t know where to go. I just...I didn’t...”

“You’re always welcome here, Darling. I may not be the mother you remember, but I am still your mother, even if I haven’t had you yet. Don’t ever worry about that. I would never turn you away. Emma wouldn’t have either. Hell, you could have gone to Snow and the idiot, too. Your family wouldn’t turn you away. I promise you that. Forget Rumple for tonight.”

“I...I’m...I’m so...cold,” Coraline told her.

“Come on. You need a warm shower and some cocoa. And, yes, I am sure you like it with cinnamon. I’ll get it down for you. Come on. You can use my bathroom. I’ll get you some clothes,” Regina told her, taking her hand and leading her up the stairs to the master suite.

It was the first time that she was upstairs in Regina’s house. She admired the lack of color and actually laughed at the black and white motif. It suited her mother and she knew it. She remembered how monotone the library was growing up.

She leaned on the door frame to the bathroom as Regina prepared a warm bath for her. She watched how she moved with grace in this world doing something so pedestrian here that she would have servants do for her in the Enchanted Forest. Regina turned around to find her smiling at her.

“What?”

“I’ve never seen you do anything like that. The servants usually did it for us. It is just odd to see you doing it now.”

“I assure you that I am capable of taking care of myself. I also wouldn’t have let a servant do this for you as a child. I would have tested it first or done it myself.”

“You did. I remember. But, you wouldn’t have drawn the bath for me. You tested it, though.”

“Go ahead and strip and get in. I’ll dig through my closet. I am bound to find something that will fit you. Do you want me to call anyone?”

“There is no one to call,” Coraline told her, going into the bathroom and shutting the door.

Regina bowed her head. She realized how alone she felt in this world. Everything that she knew hadn’t happened yet and it wasn’t all pleasant. Regina wanted to take her pain. She wanted to protect her child and care for her, but she didn’t know how much Coraline would let her.

She stalked over to her closet. She threw the door back, not realizing how hard, until it hit the wall. She hung her head again. She was angry at herself for letting Coraline grow up alone, without the love of her mothers, and feeling like she wasn’t enough for them. She wanted to right it, but she knew that in Coraline’s eyes she was about twenty years too late.

She pushed around her clothes. Surely, Coraline wouldn’t feel comfortable in one of her suits. She knew that she wouldn’t put on a dress, opting to be more like her other mother and wear jeans most of the time. She sighed and dug deeper into her closet, past the silk pajamas and yoga pants. When her fingers finally hit denim, she smiled.

She pulled out the dark colored jeans and white t-shirt. She dug around in her wardrobe and gathered some underwear. She went to the bathroom door and knocked. When Coraline didn’t answer, she opened it slightly. She look two steps in and placed the clothing on the vanity before turning to leave. She wanted to give her as much privacy as she could.

“Thank you,” Coraline told her, meeting her gaze in the mirror.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m going down stairs. I’ll make you some cocoa to warm you up.”

“Coffee.”

“Excuse me?”

“Coffee. Black. That will be fine. Don’t go through the trouble to make cocoa.”

“If that is what you wish,” Regina told her.

“It’s fine.”

“I’ll be back up in a few minutes.”

“Okay, Mom,” Coraline told her.

Regina smiled at her and left her. She made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. She pulled out the dark roast and put it in the coffee pot. She just stared at it, willing it to brew quickly.

She didn’t know what to say to her. She didn’t know what to do with her. Coraline was her daughter, but she wasn’t. She wanted to do so much for her, but she doubted that Coraline would allow it. She had to admit that she was just as surprised as Coraline was that she showed up on her doorstep, in the storm, tonight.

She poured two cups of coffee as soon as it was done. She grabbed the mugs and headed back upstairs hoping that Coraline was finished with her bath. She was and she was sitting on the end of Regina’s bed.

“Here,” Regina told her handing her a cup of coffee.

“What time is it?”

“A little after three AM,” Regina replied.

“I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“You didn’t.”

“You weren’t sleeping?”

“I’ve been having problems sleeping for a few weeks now.”

“Why?”

“Because my daughter came from the future to tell me that a terrible curse takes over the land. I found out that I find my happy ending finally, in an unlikely place only to lose it all with this curse. I go off the deep end and become the one thing that I swore I would never be and I hurt you. Somehow, I managed to find a shred of my soul and enough clarity to send you back here.”

“It isn’t your fault.”

“Isn’t it? I caused those burns on your back. I know you think that I didn’t know about them, but I do. I know what they come from and I swore that I would never do that,” Regina told her.

“When did you…?” 

“At the convent before you ran.”

“You didn’t say anything,” Coraline accused.

“I couldn’t. I wasn’t sure. I didn’t want to believe that I was the one that did it to you.”

“But, you weren’t,” Coraline stated.

“You’re lying.”

“I am not. It wasn’t you, Mom. It was the Black Queen.”

“And, who is the Black Queen, Coraline? Who is she if she isn’t me? Hmmm?”

“No one in the Enchanted Forest knows,” Coraline told her.

“But, you do. I can see it in your face. You come close to me only to pull away. I know the symptoms of that, Coraline. My mother burned me, too.”

“But, that’s just it, Mom. She isn’t my mother. She is the Black Queen. My mother is the one that set me free. She is the one that got me out of that dungeon. She is one that sent me back.”

“I sent you back, but you said I was dead.”

“You are dead.”

“Then how can I send you back?”

“Because sometimes the darkness needs a little light to survive.”

“And, that is why I shouldn’t go to Rumple?” Regina asks, bringing the situation back to light.

“Belle is his light. If he loses her, he’ll be lost. Belle won’t leave him and she’ll deal with him for you later. I promise. I’ll talk to her tomorrow…umm, today about what happened. Please just promise me that you won’t say anything to him. Let me deal with this my way. I don’t want anyone to get hurt,” Coraline stated.

“I will tell Emma.”

“Tell Emma then. Just stay away from him, Mom. I know how to deal with it and Belle is his weakness. You already know that, but taking her away from him will only make matters worse.”

“I promise that I won’t say anything to him. I will just tell Emma. I trust you enough that I will allow you to handle things with that imp by going to Belle. It is the diplomatic way of doing things. It isn’t rash and it isn’t using magic. I’m proud of you for that,” Regina told her.

“And, I am proud of you for not flying off at him while I was in the bath. I know that took a lot for you, Mom. Just as I know that it is hard for you to not go over there now and give him a piece of your mind. Everything will work out. Right now, I just want some sleep.”

“Yes, Darling, this way. You can stay in this room. We will gather your things later and you can do up your room however you want. This will be your room until you…”

“Thanks, Mom. Seriously, thank you,” Coraline stated giving her a hug, surprising both herself and Regina. “You really don’t know what this means to me.”

“No, but I’m sure that Emma will,” Regina replied. “Now, get some sleep. I have to get your brother up in a few hours for school and start to prepare for a family dinner tonight.”

“That is tonight, isn’t it?”

“Your Grams insisted. And, I don’t let just anyone into my kitchen. I am going to have to supervise to make sure that she doesn’t burn my house down.”

“I thought that was Ma that tried that,” Coraline asked slightly giggling.

“She did, but who knows with those genes what they are capable of,” Regina retorted.

She watched as Coraline made her way to bed. She tucked her in and kissed her forehead. She walked out of the room and was greeted by a light snore as she shut the door. Coraline had fallen asleep as soon as she lay down. She definitely was Emma’s daughter.

Regina walked back into her room. She got settled in bed. She stared out the window for a few minutes before she grabbed her cell. It read 4:23am. She sighed. It was early or late depending on how one read the time. It would only be an hour or so before she had to get Henry up for school. And after her conversation with Snow earlier about the dinner tonight, she knew that Snow would be over early in the morning to start prepping. She sighed again. She needed Emma. She needed to talk to someone. She needed Emma to be there with her and keep her from going after Rumple as soon as she dropped Henry off at the bus stop. She dialed her number and waited. She hoped that Emma would answer. She did on the fourth ring.

“Ha…Hello?”

“Emma,” Regina stated.

“I’m up. What happened? Are the kids okay? What’s wrong?” Emma asked suddenly wide awake. “Regina, what is it?”

“I need…”

“Yes?” the fear still in her voice.

“You, I need you,” Regina told her.

Emma didn’t need to hear anymore. She “poofed” over to Regina’s. She landed in the hallway outside of Henry’s room. She took off her boots and headed for Regina’s door. She knocked lightly before she entered.

Regina was shocked. She was still holding her phone, but closed it and sat on the nightstand as soon as she saw Emma. Emma could see the fear in her eyes.

“What is it, Regina? What’s wrong? Are the kids okay?” she asked again.

“They are asleep.”

“They? Coraline’s here too? Why?”

“Rumple.”

“What about Rumple?” Emma asked, suddenly getting very angry.

“The Imp kicked her out of Belle’s old place.”

“Why?”

“Because she isn’t family,” Regina answered.

“I’ll deal with him in the morning,” Emma stated. “Are you okay? Is there more?”

“She came home.”

“Who came home?”

“Coraline,” Regina told her.

“She came here…she came home. Oh, Regina…she’s our daughter. Of course, she would come home. Did you think that she would go to Granny’s instead?” Emma asked her.

“No, I figured that she would go to your place or to Snow’s house,” Regina replied.

“But, you’re her mother.”

“So are you, Dear, so are you,” Regina stated.

“Do you want me to stay?”

“Yes. Here. With me.”

“Okay, give me sec. I’m going to ‘poof’ home, grab some clothes and my phone, and be right back. I promise. I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you.”

 

Coraline woke sometime after six AM. The house was quiet. She was mad at herself for breaking down and coming to Regina’s in the middle of the night, but she was her mother and she did love her. If she wasn’t emotionally unstable, she would have been half way to New York by now. It didn’t matter that she promised Emma that she’d wait. She needed answers. She was running out of time. She needed to save her family and she knew that she couldn’t do it alone.

She headed down stairs. She figured she get a quick cup of coffee and then she would go. She’d leave them a note this time and a number. She’d be back in two days tops. She would either find what she was looking for or she wouldn’t. It was a long shot, but she wanted to try.

“Where are you going?” Snow asked her over her coffee cup.

“Grams!” Coraline stated.

“I guess that much is true, then,” Snow replied.

“Huh?”

“Your mothers informed me about you before they went to Boston. I wasn’t sure that I believed it until just now. You do bear the resemblance of both of them. So, I’ll ask again: where are you going?”

“Out,” she replied quickly.

“Nope, not good enough.”

“Excuse me.”

“I get it. You’re angry. But, why?”

“They didn’t tell you everything, I see. That’s like them. Sugarcoat the bad parts and hope for the best. Well, it isn’t going to work that way this time. I can’t stay here.”

“Well, according to Belle, Rumple won’t let you stay in her old place, either,” Snow added.

“I’ll be fine. I just need to go. I can’t stay here.”

“Here as in Storybrooke?”

“Yes,” she said, hanging her head.

Snow took another sip of her coffee. She placed the cup gently back down on the counter before her and watched Coraline. She could tell that she was taught. Her shoulder and her muscles were so tight like she was about to pop from the strain. Snow recognized the movements of Emma in her. Coraline turned back and looked Snow right in the eyes. She collected herself and Snow saw Regina’s poise and regality take over. She truly was a mix of them both. Her head must always be at constant war, Snow mused.

“I understand,” she replied throwing Coraline a line.

“Wait, what? Why do you understand? You’re just trying to get me to stay here. That is all this is,” Coraline accused.

“I do want you to stay, but I understand why you feel like this isn’t your home,” Snow offered.

“Sure you do.”

“This isn’t my home, either. I am from the Enchanted Forest. I have made a home here for Emma. She knows this realm and the World of Fairy Tales. I wanted to go home, but she made a point when she said it would be like ripping her and Henry out of everything they knew for my selfishness. It is amazing what you can learn from your children,” Snow told her.

“I can’t stay here. I need to go home. I’ve been here for six months and I am no closer to figuring out how to stop the Darkness. This whole thing was stupid. I should have known better, but she told me to come back her. She told me that she would help me, but she can’t. No one can,” Coraline stated.

“Who sent you back here? Coraline, you aren’t making any sense. Talk to me. I know that you don’t want to deal with your moms right now. Tell me, then. Who sent you back here?” Snow asked her.

“Mom did.”

“Regina?”

“Yes,” Coraline added, sitting down at the table.

Snow got up, got her a mug and filled it full of coffee. She passed it across the table as she sat down across from her. Snow watched her with her hazel eyes, waiting to see if Coraline would break further. When she picked up the cup and begun to drink, Snow saw her eyes flash green quickly before returning to their dark brown. Coraline quickly set the cup down und looked up at her grandmother, Snow.

“You don’t think that she wants to help you?”

“I know she does, but she can’t.”

“Why not, Coraline? What is it about Regina that makes you so frightened? One minute you curl up to her like a lost child and then something dark comes over your face and you run from her. What happened? Will you tell me?” Snow asked her.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’ll tell them.”

Snow’s head jerked. Of course, Regina would have told her about that. She wouldn’t trust her because of Regina’s mistrust in her. It was a hard fact to swallow, but she did it anyway.

“You can trust me, Coraline. I have no reason to betray your trust. I die as well in this future, don’t I?”

“Not exactly,” she stated.

“I see. You haven’t told them the entire story, have you? What happened, Coraline? Will you tell me?” Snow asked pleadingly.

“It won’t matter if you know. It doesn’t stop it. The Blackness still comes and destroys everything.”

“You’ve come here and told us that we all die except Belle and Ruby. They are the ones that raised you. I understand why you want to talk to them more than us, Coraline. I do. Did you know that your mother and I have a strained relationship because I sent her here so she would save us? Now, you are telling me that your mother, Regina, sent you here to save us all, again. How can I not be worried about this? I want to help you, but I can only do that if you let me,” Snow told her.

Coraline sighed. She picked up her coffee cup and took another sip. She sat it down, hung her head, and started to tell her tale of woe and misery. Snow was rapt with attention as she started.

“I had just twenty-five I believe. Red and Belle had given me another party in Rumple’s castle. I was lonely and still so full of rage. I wanted to avenge everyone, everything, especially my family. I am grateful that they never hid the truth from me of who I was and what happened to everyone. They did protect me as Mom instructed them to, but they never lied to me about what happened when I asked. If they didn’t know the answer, they told me that. I tried to fill in the holes where I could, but it wasn’t until Red found Mom’s journals that things actually started making complete sense to me. There was such much I didn’t understand because I was so little when it all started. I only had the memories of a child and they aren’t always reliable.”

“But sometimes, you see more than you realize,” Snow said, encouraging her to continue.

“I did.”

“Will you tell me about it?” Snow asked again.

“I don’t really want to, but I guess I should tell someone everything.”

“You should. Keeping things bottled up that long isn’t good for you. Keeping your anger locked away doesn’t help. It only makes you bitter. Tell me and let me help you.”

“It all started when I was about five years old...

_I was sitting in the throne room with Mom and Belle. We were doing my lessons. Mom was worried, but I couldn’t tell why. She looked sad, but she hid it from me. I could still feel it. There was just something about the way she moved all day. It was different. She paced a lot._

_Belle was sweet. She kept having to pull my attention back to my studies. I can remember now that they were teaching me magic and how to control it. I understood that my emotions controlled it even then, but I was a lot like Ma. I tended to hold things in and let them boil over. I think I was at the table learning that morning because I had set my canopy around my bed on fire again._

_Mom had laughed it off and put it out, but she knew that I needed more training. I remember her asking me what set me off that morning. It had been a dream. I couldn’t remember what it was about but it scared me, deeply, to my core. I did the only thing my body knew how to do, I reacted. Poorly, but I reacted. It was something that they were both working on me with._

_When I went lo breakfast, I remembered that Ma was gone. She was out in the field defending the castle. I could remember Mom casting a spell over her armor in the days before. Ma kept telling her not to worry that she would be home soon. That everything would be okay. She told her that you and Charming were coming to help from the Summerlands. Henry had come back and insisted on going out with her. I think that is what put Mom on edge. Henry was going to fight, too._

_She of course cast a spell of protection over him. I don’t think he noticed though. He couldn’t have been more than twenty, but he was my best friend. We did everything together in the afternoons. Don’t tell Mom, but he had started teaching me how to wield a bow and shoot it. She would have been furious if she knew. It was our secret. I knew that Henry loved me. He knew that I loved him._

_Everything changed that morning, though. My world ended and my nightmares began. It wasn’t until later when I was older that I would know that my nightmares were nothing compared to the Hell I would find at the hands of the Dark Queen. She taught me what Hell really was._

_Grandpa came in the room with Henry. Grandpa was in his armor, normally all shiny, but it wasn’t. It was black, covered in red and black. It smelt funny, too. Then I saw Henry come in behind him. He had on the armor that Mom put the spell on it. It had a different coat-of-arms on it. It was the same one that Ma wore. It is the same one that is on my arm. It was for both the houses of Swan and Mills. His armor was coated in the grime and muck, too. He carried his helmet in his hands and he was crying. I could see it in his eyes. Something was terribly wrong._

_That is why Mom asked them where Ma was. I have never seen her so devastated. Her whole body crumpled for a moment. She just fell. I might have dreamed it, but she broke when Gramps told her the news. I remember getting up and crossing the room. Belle didn’t stop me._

_I held onto Mom’s leg when Gramps told her that she was gone. Ma was gone. He handed her Ma’s sword. It was a magical sword that had been a gift from Grams and Mom to her. It was her sword. I didn’t understand. Where was Ma? Why was Henry so upset? And, why was Mom asking for her body? What was wrong? Why wouldn’t anyone tell me?_

_“There was nothing left,” Henry told her._

_Nothing made sense. Nothing at all after that. Belle had come to Mom’s side. Mom pulled me off of her leg and pushed me to Belle. She gathered me in her small frame and held me. I could feel the anger in Mom. It was different. It was painful. I could see her whole body change._

_When she turned around to talk to Belle, it was in a language I didn’t know. She told Belle to take me and leave. She was to take me to Grandpa Rumple’s castle and wait for them to come. She needed to go now. Belle nodded and started to leave when Red came in the castle, tying her cloak around her neck. She stalked up to Mom with a purpose._

_I could see something in Henry’s eyes. It was sadness, but it was laced with anger. Charming looked broken, but determined. Mom’s eyes were violent and violet at the same time. But, Red, she was bordering on something I didn’t understand at the time. I don’t think I still do._

_She let them know that .you would be there in the morning with the reinforcements. We just had to hold out until your arrival. Then, the realization of the situation hit her. She saw the blank looks in their eyes. She saw the tears on Mom’s face. Something was terribly wrong, but she hadn’t figured it out yet. She looked around and that is when she noticed that Ma was gone._

_When she asked, Mom just told her she was dead. She started to walk to the doors. I could see the fire on her hands. She was angry, but it was deeper than that. She was pissed. She was furious. She was broken and she didn’t care. She turned to Red._

_“Take Belle and Remy and go. We’ll hold them off. Get my daughter away from here. Raise her as your own and protect her, Red. I am counting on you.” Mom told her._

_Red nodded and moved towards Belle and me. I didn’t know what was going to happen. Red took the sword from Mom. It shrank down into a dagger. She handed it to Belle, who put it in a satchel she’d grabbed for some supplies. Red started to push us to the back of the castle and to Mom’s hidden passages. She had to get us out and to safety. She knew what to do._

_Henry came to me next. He was crying. I had never seen him like that. He reached up and took off a necklace that he always wore since becoming a knight. It was something that Ma gave him. It was a long leather cord, much too long to be an appropriate necklace. It was worn funny, too. But, it had a ring on it. It was a silver ring with a green gem stone. I would find out later that it was Grams’ wedding ring. She had given it to him to give to his wife, when the time came. He put the cord around my neck and patted the ring against my chest._

_“Take care of this for me, Remy. I’ll be back for it. Okay? I love you,” he told me. I didn’t realize that it was good-bye at the time. It was the last time that I ever saw him._

_Gramps knew. He knew that they were going to die. He knew. I can tell now. It was in his eyes. He knew. He kissed my forehead and then told Red to protect me. I was the last of their line. And, then they were gone. Swords drawn, fire balls lit. They were gone. They went out the doors to die. They went to avenge Ma. They wanted their pound of flesh for hers. They didn’t realize. They didn’t think that they wouldn’t win. Gramps may have, but he never said it. But, I think that they seriously thought that they would come to Grandpa Rumple’s castle and we would start over._

_They never came. You never came. No one ever came. We were alone there._

_Belle cut my hair shortly after we got there. She cut all the blond out. It never grew back. She made me learn to talk like her. She changed my name. I was no longer Remy. My name was Coraline and if anyone asked I was her little sister: Regina and Emma weren’t my mothers. I was a refugee just like she was. I had to deny everything that I ever knew. That is when the bindings started. She had to hide my magic from the Blackness. It could sense me and it would find me. At least while we were at Rumple’s castle, we were protected by his old magic spells that still covered his lands._

_Red grew idle. She had lost as much as we did, but she couldn’t sit back and pretend it didn’t happen. She wanted to fight. She wanted vengeance, but Belle wouldn’t let her. She couldn’t lose Red, too. Red would sneak out though. She would change into the Wolf and run for hours, looking, scouring for any sign or hope that someone served that final battle at White Castle in the Winterlands. But, no one did. When Belle realized that she couldn’t keep her, she let her roam only on the week of the moon. Red would be gone the entire week, but she would bring stuff back. Weird things, like Mom’s journals, some old clothes, but she never stopped, she kept going. She was bringing me my history._

_Belle continued to teach me magic and my lessons. She didn’t want me to forget who I was or where I came from. I couldn’t talk about it outside the walls of our part of the castle, but I couldn’t forget._

_One day, I got restless. I started to roam the grounds. I found an old bow and some arrows. I set up a target and started shooting. I was amazed that I knew how to shoot so well. Henry had been a good teacher. Red finally caught me one afternoon after she returned from one of her outings._

_She scolded me for doing it without proper supervision. She then took it upon herself to train me. She would take me out into the woods and teach me how to scour and hunt. I became quite adept at it, like I was a natural. She gave a practice sword and made me learn to use it. She would teach me a new move every time she came home and then she would test me after her next adventure out. It became our routine, and it worked._

_Belle was resistant to it at first, but gradually she relented and let Red start using real weapons or even Wolf-ed out on me. I wanted to train and I wanted to train hard. I was a princess and I needed to be ready to defend whatever was left of my kingdom or so I thought. I realized later that it was hard for Red because I reminded her so much of my Grams and my Mom. She saw Ma in me, but she couldn’t base anything I did on her actions, but those of my Grams. She told me that she hadn’t seen someone so natural with a bow besides her._

_Where Belle was soft and kind, Red was hard and testing. They were balanced for each and for me. They were my light and dark. They kept me grounded. Belle gave my wisdom and Red gave me my strength. They pushed me each day, making me burn off my pent up energy. When the bindings started to break as Belle knew they would, she tried to teach me magic, but never having been a practitioner herself…it was amusing. She started giving me the tattoos to protect me. Each one is a protection spell in its own right._

_It wasn’t enough. It couldn’t be enough. I needed to avenge my family. So, in the dead of night, I left._

 

Coraline melted further into Snow. She took her weight gracefully as they both knelt down to the floor in Regina’s kitchen. Snow didn’t let her go as the sobs continued to rack her body. She could see Regina and Emma behind them, once they found the floor. She didn’t know how long they had been there, but she knew it had been long enough for Regina and Emma to both have tears in their eyes.

Snow gestured with her head for them to come forward. It was still early, but family was family. The fact that the sun hadn’t come up yet didn’t stop them from being there. She could see the worried looks on their faces as they slowly approached, still afraid that Coraline would run. It was in that moment that Regina gave Snow an appreciative look for managing to keep their daughter in the house.

“Coraline,” Regina said as she knelt clown to envelope her crying daughter.

“Mom,” she replied as she turned into Regina’s arms.

Regina pulled her into her body and held her. She had one hand wrapped around the back of her head and the other around her back. Coraline tucked her head into the crook of her shoulder like it was the most natural thing to do. Regina barely contained herself as she smiled up at Emma, in a silent plea, for her to join them in their family hug.

Emma took two strides before sinking down on her knees. She crawled the rest of the way to her daughter and lover on her knees. When Regina’s hand left Coraline’s back to pull her the rest of the way, Emma melted into her family. Never one to show her feelings well, Emma broke down as Coraline turned to bury her face in her chest. She gave a frightened look to Regina, who just pulled them into herself tighter.

Snow didn’t want to interrupt the moment. She slowly stood, walked over to the women and kissed them each on the head. She walked around them and to the coffee maker. She started another pot.

Once it was started, she walked back over to the table and grabbed her cup. She moved out of their line of sight, back behind the counter near the coffee maker, and slowly sipped what was left of her cup.

“What about Henry?” Coraline asked through broken sobs.

“What about him, dear?” Regina questioned.

“Does he know?”

“That you are his baby sister?” Emma inquired.

“Yes, has anyone told him, yet?”

“Not that I know of, no, but he is smart boy. He knows that you are important to the family. He might have figured it out. We can tell him together if you would like, but that will be your choice,” Regina told her, backing up just enough to look into her dark brown eyes.

“He needs to know,” Coraline stated.

“Do you want to tell him?” Emma asked her.

“Yes,” Coraline replied, barely above a whisper.

“Snow, will you get him for us?” Regina asked, grateful that she’d come over earlier that morning once she got Emma’s note from the wee morning hours.

“I’ll be right back. Clean yourselves up some. There is fresh coffee,” she ordered as she left.


	17. Chapter 17

Emma pulled them up off the floor. She and Regina still bore the weight of the exhausted Coraline. She helped Regina get her back to the table and set her down in a chair. 

Emma grabbed Coraline’s coffee cup and headed across the kitchen. Regina went to the sink, grabbed a kitchen towel and wet it. She went back to Coraline and handed her the towel to clean up her face. Emma came back over with three cups of coffee, handing them each one. Regina sat down on her left and Emma on her right.

“I know I keep saying this, but it is the truth. You can be angry with us, you know? But, you can trust us, your family, because we aren’t going to give up now that we know,” Emma told her.

“Why?”

“Because we aren’t there for you. I know what that is like. Be angry, but let us try to help you now. I can’t apologize to you when I don’t know what I’ve done exactly. I can’t apologize for something that I haven’t done yet. You being here could change things. If you don’t tell us what happens, how can we help?” Emma asked her.

“If I change things, it could cause problems.”

“I know that, but if it means saving our family, I don’t give a rat’s ass. We will do it. I never wanted any of my children to be alone. I didn’t want that for you. I lived that and I promised myself that I would fight to keep that from happening,” Emma told her.

“You did,” Coraline stated and took a sip of her coffee.

“I did what? I fought to keep us together? Then why are you so angry about it?” Emma asked her.

“Because you died.”

Emma gasped. She had begun to wonder how she would finally meet her end now that she was part of the Fairy Tale World. Sure, she had magic, but that didn’t stop her from wondering. When she was younger she had always wondered if she would be alone, then she found her family and she swore that she would do anything to keep them together. Now her own daughter was telling her that is how she died, protecting her family, and trying to keep them together.

“Coraline…”

“Don’t apologize for that. I’ve read Mom’s journals. I know what you went through. I understand why family was always the highest priority for you. I admired that. But, I was still alone. I didn’t have either of you. I was too young to understand that you took the fight to the Darkness to protect me. I was too young to understand that you didn’t mean to die. We are Charmings after all. We don’t believe in giving up, ever.” Coraline told them, almost laughing at the end.

“Charmings? I refuse to be a Charming. Please tell me that we took another name. I don’t like that name. Anything but Charming as a family name,” Regina begged.

“No, Mom, you don’t. We are the Swan-Mills family. Most of the kingdom just refers to us as the House of Swan, the royal house of the Winterlands. Snow and Charming took the Summerlands.”

“What about your uncle?”

“Neal?”

“You haven’t told Snow, have you?” Regina asked and took a sip of coffee.

“No, it would destroy her. It does destroy her to a degree. It is one of the reasons that she allows you both more freedoms later. She dotes on Henry and me, spoiling us at every turn.”

“We need to tell her,” Emma slated.

“We can’t,” Coraline replied.

“Why not?” Regina asked.

“I will not spoil this time she has with him. She deserves it. Don’t break her with this. I will bear that knowledge and pain for her. I owe her that much and more,” Coraline told them.

“She needs to know,” Emma stated.

“No, Coraline is right. It is bad enough that we know we all die but Ruby and Belle. We need to protect her from this for now. If she asks, then we’ll address it. Until then, we’ll let everyone be blissfully ignorant. It will be better for us all, until then. I’m still going to work on potions for him though. I promised that I would do everything in my power to protect this family, and that includes your baby brother. I am not going to let it happen if I can help it,” Regina told her.

“It isn’t fair,” Emma replied.

“No, it isn’t. None of our futures are fair. It won’t do any good to upset everyone. You are the Savior and Queen. You are the Evil Queen, who became Queen Regina. I can remember how happy we all were. Henry had become a knight to the White Kingdom and the Swan Kingdom. Live with that and not the destruction and death that followed. Please, help me keep that memory alive,” Coraline said.

Regina looked at her and saw her younger self reflected back. How had it come to this? Why was it that her daughter had to endure so much without them? Regina made another pledge then, they would find a way to stop it. They would be together. She would keep her family.

“I know what you are thinking, Mom. You will do your damnedest, but it still won’t be enough. The Darkness is stronger than anyone knew or believed. Please don’t drive yourself insane trying to defeat it. I almost did. It cannot be defeated. It wants me. It will eventually get me,” Coraline stated, resigning to the reality of the future situation.

“We will find a way, Coraline. I refuse to give up. I refuse to let it happen,” Emma told her.

“There is nothing you can do. There is nothing anyone can do. Don’t waste your time fretting about it. You should spend every moment with those you love, letting them know how much you love them, because in the end, they are all that is important,” Coraline replied.

“We will find a way,” Regina told her as she reached across the table and look her hand. “We will not abandon you. This family will fight and we will fight until it is defeated. We will find a way.”

“Yes, we will,” Snow repeated as she came back into the room with Henry in tow.

He was rubbing his eyes free of sleep as the sun just began to crest the horizon outside. The sunlight shone through the windows of the kitchen, promising at new day, a better day. Coraline sank down in her chair and hugged her cup of coffee. Henry looked at her with a questioning look. Snow left but came back with a chair from the dining room. She put herself between Emma and Coraline, knowing what was about to happen. He eyed them suspiciously until Regina got up and made him some cocoa.

She came back with two cups and a spice container of cinnamon. She handed one cup to Henry and the other to Emma. She pushed Emma’s coffee cup over to Snow.

“Mom, why did you get Grams to get me up so early? What’s so important? It isn’t even a school day or did your forget, again? What’s going on?” he asked and then took at long drink of his cocoa.

“There is something that Emma and I have to tell you.”

“What?” Henry asked, taking another sip, trying to wake himself up.

“This isn’t really easy for us, Kid, but you deserve to know,” Emma started.

“Just tell me. Okay, I get it. It must be something big if you woke me up to tell me. You both promised to not lie to me anymore because you didn’t think that I could handle it. So, just tell me,” he replied.

“I would like you to meet someone, Henry.”

“Who? Coraline? I already know her. She is Belle’s little sister.” he told them.

“That isn’t exactly true,” Coraline stated.

“Is that why Grandpa has been so angry these last few days?”

“Partially, yes, Henry, Coraline is...well...she’s...” Emma started, as she watched Henry take another drink of cocoa, unsure how to continue.

“Henry, she is your sister,” Regina told him.

He spit out his cocoa across the table. He looked from Emma to Regina and back again. When he settled on Snow, he watched her nod in affirmation. He set his cup down and stared at them.

“She’s my sister. Like how is she my sister? She is as old as you are,” he stated.

“Henry, I know that this is hard for you, but it is the truth. I can prove it to you. Will you let me?” Coraline asked him as she stood up. “I can give you something that will prove it, but you have to allow me. You have to want to believe. I know that you might be scared, but you can trust me.”

“I don’t know why, but I do. I trust you. Show me.”

“This isn’t going to be easy for me. I apologize in advance if this frightens you, but it is the only way I know how to show you. Mom and Ma could tell you all day, but it might not be enough for you to believe,” she explained, sighed and then continued. “Thank you for at least trying to believe now.”

She knelt down beside him. She reached into her boot and pulled out a dagger. She placed it on the table beside them. She reached into her shirt and look off the leather corded boot lace that still had Snow’s ring on it. She caught Snow’s eyes and saw the look of apprehension as Snow checked her own hand to make sure it was still there. Then, she took off a small silver band off her left ring finger and placed it in the pile of other things. His hazel eyes searched hers as she reached out for his hand.

“I want you to take the dagger.”

“Why?”

“Promise me that you won’t question what I am about to do and just believe in me, Henry,” she stated.

“I do.”

“Then, take the dagger.”

Henry reached over into the pile and picked up the dagger. He looked at the hilt and the pommel. He studied them, noting the richness of the etching and similarity to Charming’s sword.

“This looks like a smaller version of Gramp’s sword.”

“That is because it is. Now, I want you to hand it to Mom,” she told him and he did as asked. Regina took the dagger from him and looked at Coraline with wonder. “Now, Mom, try to draw it.”

Regina did as asked but the dagger wouldn’t budge. She gave her a questioning look but didn’t say anything out loud. She put the dagger back on the table.

“Now, Ma, you try.”

Emma reached over and picked up the dagger. They all watched as Emma drew the dagger. She admired the hilt. It was then that she noticed the motif carved into the pommel.

“It’s a swan,” she stated.

“It is, Ma. It is yours. That is a dagger that Mom had forged and then cast a spell on. No one but the line of Swan can draw it. But, that isn’t all that it does. May I?” she asked holding out her hand.

Emma replaced the blade to the scabbard and handed her the dagger. She held it in front of Henry. She took his hand and wrapped it around the hilt. He watched her as she stood back.

“Snow can’t draw it, Henry, but Charming can. You can. Ma can. And, I can. But, that isn’t just a dagger. I want you to draw it out, hold it out in front of you and will it to be a sword,” she commanded him taking another step back.

“You want me to what?”

“Believe that it is a sword, Henry.”

Coraline took another step back. Henry concentrated. He felt the dagger begin to weigh more and he brought up his other hand to help him continue to hold it. The blade started to shoot out towards Coraline. She smiled as the rest of them gasped. Henry kept a hold of the growing sword and believed in it as he continued to concentrate on its length.

“That’s good, Henry. That’s real good. Now, hand me the sword,” Coraline told him holding out her hand. He passed her the sword and it didn’t shrink. She held it up in front of her face, looking into the blade as she touched it, testing its weight.

“Now watch this,” she told him and handed the sword to Snow. “This might sting just a little, but I am just trying to prove my point. I’m sorry.”

Snow took the sword. It burned her hand and dropped to the table returning it to its dagger size. Coraline was immediately grabbing Snow’s hand, knowing how the pain and burns would hurt. She took it in both her hands and began to mumble some words under her breath. Snow watched Regina’s eyes get wide as Coraline kept mumbling. When she let go, Snow’s hand was completely healed. Snow held her hand up. Regina reached across the table to touch it. She couldn’t believe what she had just seen. Snow marveled in Coraline’s abilities.

“Grams?” Henry asked.

“I’m fine, Henry. See, not even a scar. It is like it never happened,” Snow reassured him.

“Who taught you that?” Regina asked.

“Belle, well she taught me from books. She is most amazing at different languages. She would have made a great sorceress if she had magical blood. She really has a knack for it. Unfortunately, she can’t conjure anything herself. She’s tried. Oh, by the heavens, did she try.” Coraline explained.

“But, you’re scars?” Regina questioned, suddenly emotional.

“Some things even magic can’t heal,” was the simple statement she got in response.

Regina sat back. Her daughter was really a wonder. The more time she spent with her the more she was amazed at her abilities. She really was the best of both her and Emma. She couldn’t deny it, now.

“Henry, do you believe me?” Coraline asked him.

“I do, but you’re older than me.”

“Actually, I haven’t been born yet in this time. I am your baby sister. I will be born soon, though. But, that isn’t what matters. What matters is that we are family. I am here to protect us all,” she told him.

“You’re from the future? And, you came back to save us? From what?” he asked.

“In my time we call it the Darkness or the Blackness. I don’t know what it is. I just know that I have to find a way to stop it before it destroys everything. I need your help with this. Do you think that you can help me? Will you do what I ask you to do to help?” Coraline asked him, as she saw Regina and Emma begin to squirm at the thought of Henry helping and getting hurt.

“Of course, I’ll help. But, first we need to come up with a code name for this operation. How about Operation: Dark Horse? That sounds good to me. So what do you need me to do?” he asked getting excited that he was being allowed to help.

“That sounds fine, Henry. Operation: Dark Horse it is, then. But, I need you to do something important. I need you to learn to use a bow,” Coraline told him, laughing in the beginning.

“A bow? But, Gramps is teaching me to use a sword. What’s wrong with that?” 

“Nothing is wrong with that. And, that is perfectly fine. Keep working with Gramps. But, I need you to work with Grams, too. She is best archer among us. She will teach you at lot. Can you do that?”

Regina looked at Snow, nodding and giving her permission to teach him. Emma smiled at Coraline. She didn’t know why Coraline wanted him to spend time with Snow, but learning to use a bow was a good skill to have if they were going to end up back in the Enchanted Forest. Regina didn’t seem to mind too much now that they knew what she wanted him to do.

“Yeah, I can do that, Coraline.” he answered.

“Good, because one day, you are going to teach me how to shoot a bow. So you need to pay attention to everything that Grams tells you. It is important and it will save your life, and mine. Okay, Henry?” she asked.

“I will.”

“Okay, good.”

“Is there anything else that you can tell us?” Snow asked looking at the other items on the table.

“You want to know more about these?” Coraline asked pointing to her artifacts.

“Yes,” Snow answered simply.

“The cord is from Ma. It is Graham’s boot lace. Upon it is your wedding ring. You give it to Henry to give to his betrothed when finally chooses a bride. He put it on the boot lace and wore it around his neck like a talisman. Until…well, he gave it to me to keep safe.”

“And the silver band?” Snow asked.

“It is Mom’s wedding band. Red found it for me. She figured that I would like to have it. It was just pure coincidence that it fit my finger. Today is the first time that I have taken it off since it was given to me.”

“The dagger is Ma’s. The ring is Grams’. The boot lace is Graham’s. The silver ring is Mom’s. The crest is Gramps’, but yours at the same time. You have something to remember your family by in what you carry, but why? Why do you have something for everyone?” Henry asked her.

“Because things aren't that pleasant in my time, Henry.”

“Tell me.”

“Now isn’t the time to tell you, Henry.”

“You promised that you wouldn’t lie to me. You want me to believe you. Then trust in me.”

“Henry…” Regina started.

“No, Mom, I am old enough to know. What happens? What is it that you are scared to tell me?”

“I am the only survivor.”

“We are all dead?” Henry asked.

“Yes…”

 

Meanwhile at Granny’s.

Ruby watched the new dark haired woman come in. She couldn’t place her, but she knew that a lot of new people had come over in the last curse. And, a lot of them were friends of Robin’s who kept to themselves, she seemed to be one of them. She smelled like forest. She carried herself similarly to Mulan. She didn’t want to question her, but there was something familiar about her. Ruby shook her head. She didn’t need to be worried about this new person. She needed to be worried about Belle.

No sooner had the thoughts crossed her mind then Belle came through the door. She looked upset and distressed about something. She knew that Ruby had the later shift today which is why she called her so early in the morning. Ruby was sitting in the booth in the back near the bathrooms when she finally saw her. She joined her there, sitting down across from Ruby with a huff and not the normal dignified air that she possessed.

“What’s wrong?”

“I told Rumple.”

“And?” Ruby asked.

“He kicked Coraline out of the house.”

“Where did she go?” Ruby asked her.

“I don’t know. I’ve been calling her phone all morning. She hasn’t answered.”

“Have you tried Regina?”

“No,” Belle stated.

“Why not?”

“I…I don’t know. She is…Coraline is still my sister in my heart, Ruby. I can’t just let that go.”

“No one is asking you to, Belle, least of all Coraline. She chose you, remember? She chose you to be her family. She came back here to save us all and her family. She didn’t go to Regina or Emma. She came to you as your sister.”

“I know. That is why I can’t turn my back on her like that. It doesn’t matter to me that she isn’t blood. She is still my sister, and will soon be like my daughter if we can’t figure out how to stop the Blackness that is coming. How can I turn her away like that? How could he?”

“He is the Dark One. She lied to us all and she has magic. Maybe, he feels threatened by her.”

“I don’t think that is it. If he was threatened by her, he would have done more than kicked her out of my old house. There is something that he isn’t telling me. There is something that he is hiding. He promised me no more secrets. He promised that he wouldn’t lie to me,” Belle told her.

“I know that, sweetie. You should talk to him. Tell him how this makes you feel.”

“I’ve tried. He just tells me that it is for the best. He won’t explain why though.”

“Use the dagger.”

Belle gasped. She knew that she could force the answers from him, but she didn’t want to manipulate him that way. She didn’t want to force her hand with him, but she knew that it was option. There was something about the way he was acting. It was like he knew Coraline was important for something, but he wouldn’t tell her why. She just couldn’t…not yet.

“I want to try to talk to him first.”

“And, if he doesn’t agree?” Ruby asked.

“Then, I will talk to Regina before I use the dagger. I don’t want to stoop to his level. I want to try to do this right. I don’t know why, but I think he is scared of her.”

“Scared of Coraline?” Ruby questioned.

“Yeah, and I want to know why, Ruby. You didn’t see him after I told him. He was scared. And, then when he came home last night, he seemed happy. There was a smugness about him.”

“And, he told you why?”

“Yeah, he told me that he kicked Coraline out. I wanted to go look for her, but it started raining. I didn’t even know where to begin. I didn’t know if she would run away again or if she would go to Regina or Emma. It was late. I figured that I would start looking for her early this morning. I called her several times last night, though.”

“And, she still hasn’t called you back?”

“No, and now, I am really worried,” Belle told her.

“I can try to track her, but it rained last night, heavily. I don’t know how much of a trail there will actually be. Maybe, we should call Regina and tell her. She could do a locater spell.”

“Do you think that it would be for the best?”

“It will answer your questions.”

“Will you call her?” Belle asked.

“Of course, Belle, I’ll call her. Wait here. I’ll be right back,” Ruby told her as she stood from the booth. She made her way across the diner and behind the counter. She grabbed her cell from underneath the counter and returned to the booth.

She started to call when she realized that she had several texts. She looked over at Belle and smiled. She opened the first two from Snow and got the story of Rumple kicking Coraline out late last night. Emma left earlier to go to her because she’d gone to Regina’s for the night.

“I don’t need to call her.”

“Why not?”

“Coraline went to Regina’s last night. Evidently Regina called Emma and Emma went over there to make sure that she was okay and stayed the night. Emma left Snow a note about what was going on so she wouldn’t be worried when she woke up and Emma wasn’t home.”

“Can we call her anyway?”

“Yes, we can. Do you want to do it? Or, do you want me to?”

“Will you do it please?”

“No problem, Belle,” Ruby stated, reaching across the table and holding her hand, “She’s okay. She went to her mother. Even though she and Regina are estranged she went to her mother’s.”

“I know.”

Ruby scrolled through her phone until she landed on Regina’s cell number. She pushed the buttons so the phone would call her. When she looked up, she caught the dark haired woman’s icy blue eyes. Ruby’s face scrunched up in question, but before she could say anything Regina answered and the woman left the diner.

“Hey, ya, Regina…No, I am calling because Belle was worried about Coraline…yeah, Snow already let me know that she was there…Can we come over? I think that Belle needs to see her for herself…Oh, yeah, she is plenty mad. Well, as mad as Belle gets….She’s real upset. She’s sorry that he reacted that way, but they promised to not lie to each other.… Oh, yeah, she said that he came home and told her. She’s been looking for her all morning. She called me but with the rain, I didn’t have a trail to follow. She finally let me call you…. Yeah, ten minutes, no problem…. Do you want me to bring some bear claws and coffee? … Hmm, okay, I’ll bring extra just in case…Yeah, see you in a few,” Ruby said and rang off.

“She’s there?”

“Yeah, and she’s okay. She showed up around three AM soaking wet. Needless to say, Regina is not happy with Rumple, but she promised Coraline that she would confront him. She said we could come over. They just need a little time to clean up. It has been an emotional morning for them. Are you going to be okay?” Ruby asked her.

“I will once I see that my sister…that Coraline is okay,” Belle answered.

 

Will heard the quiet conversation between Belle and Red. She knew they were friends. She also knew from the quiet rumors that had been circulating through town since before she made it. She didn’t know what to do. She knew that Coraline, Regina and Emma were back. She wasn’t sure what that meant for her, but she knew that she would have to hide now. It was bad enough that Red almost recognized her. 

She knew that she couldn’t get anything past the wolf. She remembered little Red and knew how much trouble she could be. If Red remembered who she was, then she wouldn’t be able to hide. It was a chance that she would have to take. She wasn’t hiding really, but she wasn’t out and about in town.

Today had been the first time since she’d been in town that she visited the diner and now, she knew it would be her last. She would just have to deal with that. She was glad that her room had a small kitchen in it. It was a small blessing. She would be able to survive on her own until she decided to make her presence known. She needed to find Rumple, but she didn’t know his name here. He would be the only one who could help her now.

She thought about what Belle and Red had been talking about. Belle knew Rumple. She would be able to lead her to him. She would watch Belle or track her movements. She knew that today wasn’t the day to try it. Today, she would lie low and bide her time. Tomorrow, she would seek out Rumple and figure out what the Hell was really going on in this sleepy town.

 

Belle and Red stood on Regina’s front porch. Red knocked on the door and wasn’t surprised when Regina answered the door. She ushered them in to the house and to the living room. That is where they found Coraline, Henry and Emma playing some game on one of Henry’s gaming systems. Snow was sitting close by in a chair, coffee cup in hand, smiling at her family.

“Thank you for letting me come over,” Belle told her.

“Belle, for what’s it worth, you are family here. You are Rumple’s wife which makes you Henry’s grandmother after a fashion. But, more importantly, I considered you trustworthy enough to raise my daughter. And, she thinks of you as a sister. You are welcome here.”

“Thank you,” Belle replied.

“Would you like some coffee?” Regina asked.

“I’ll get us some,” Ruby replied, heading to the kitchen with the bear claws.

Belle followed Regina into her study and sat down, facing each other. Belle seemed more nervous than she wanted and she tried to calm herself. She knew that Regina wasn’t the same person that imprisoned her, but they were far from being friends. 

“What is it, Bookworm?” Regina asked her.

“Why me?”

“Why you what?”

“Why would you choose me to care for your child?”

“I can only hope that I chose you because you have proven yourself to be a valuable ally.”

“A valuable ally?” 

“Belle, let’s not sugarcoat this. We have a tenuous relationship and that is because of the relationship that I had with your husband. I would like to apologize to you for what we put you through, because I cannot take all the blame for it. But, I can promise you this. I have promised Coraline that I will not confront him. I won’t. There is nothing that he can do for me now.”

“What about fighting the Blackness that Coraline is so worried about?”

“That is would be where you would come in, my dear. I would ask that you would aid on our behalf to deal with Rumple. I really don’t want him near my family. I don’t mind that Henry is working with him at the shop, because I know that you are there most days and you check up on Henry. I want to believe that Rumple made a mistake in his haste last night. I do not want a war with him, Belle. I want what is best for my family.”

“I am angry with him.”

“Why?”

“She may be your daughter, Regina, but I am the one that raises her in the future. But, she did chose to be my sister, here, now. I can’t let that go. She thought enough of me to be family. I will not sit back and watch her suffer. I will deal with Rumple.”

“How?”

“How? I am not sure yet. I don’t even know what spell he used on the house, but I am sure that it was some sort of blood magic. Don’t look at me like that. We both know that he had to use some sort of spell to eject her from the house. I haven’t had enough time to research it yet. I have been too busy worrying about Coraline.”

“Then what do you need me to do?” Regina asked her.

“Can you give me a few days before you let Emma go off on him?”

“I will do my best, but I can’t promise anything when it comes to the Savior. She tends to do as she pleases. I’ll talk to her though. But, I doubt that it is Emma you need to really worry about.”

“Who then?”

“Charming and Snow. You know how fiercely protective they are of their family. If Snow already knew before she came over this morning, you can bet that the other idiot knows as well. He is the only one that isn’t here. He can be unpredictable. Where do you think Emma gets it from?”

“Gets what from?” Emma asked coming into the study, with two mugs of coffee.

“Your unpredictability, Dear,” Regina replied, taking one.

“What’s going on?” Emma questioned, as she handed Belle the other.

“I’ve talked with Rumple,” Belle offered.

“And?” Emma asked, sitting down, trying to dampen her anger at the man.

“He told me about kicking Coraline out. He’s put a spell on the house. She can’t enter it. I am trying to figure out what spell he used so you can counter it. But, I need time. I need to know that both of you aren’t going to do something rash.”

“Rash! You’re worried about me doing something rash? Rash was kicking my daughter out of the only house that she knew in town during a thunderstorm. Rash was going over there to begin with. Rash was casting a spell on the house so she can’t get back in it. That is rash. I haven’t done anything rash…yet.”

Regina reached over and touched her leg. She immediately felt Emma calm. Belle watched them, but didn’t say anything. She saw the differences that their trip to Boston had confirmed.

“I understand that, Emma. He is a difficult man. He can be complicated and he is…”

“Is lucky that I wasn’t over there first thing when I found out about what happened,” Emma stated and again Regina squeezed her leg.

“I know that. I’m doing what I can. I care for her as well. She may not really be my sister, but part of me thinks that she still is. I am not going to abandon her because he got   
mad that she lied about her true parentage. It will take time, but I’ll figure it out. I just need you to promise me that you and your family won’t do anything to him. Let me deal with him,” Belle stated.

“Fine!” she answered forcefully and got up. She was halfway across the room and gone when she turned around to face them both, again. “I’ll give you a week and then I’m beating down his door. He’s done enough to this family and he’s been given a free pass. I will not give him any more. One week, Belle, and then I don’t care who the fuck he is. He will pay.”

Belle watched her go. The anger in her body had kept Emma rigid. She turned to back to Regina only to find her smirking. She shook her head.

“She means every word of that,” Regina told her.

“And, I thought I had to be worried about you,” Belle replied.

“She’s found her family, Belle. She isn’t going to give it up. And, now, she knows that she is happy. She’s with me and we love each other. Coraline has given her the answers to so many questions that she has been asking herself for so long. She isn’t going to give it up willingly.”

“I am not asking her to. I am asking for patience from both of you. She’s given me a time limit, and I’ll work with that, Regina. I just need to know that you aren’t going to do anything until my time is up,” Belle told her.

“I promise you that I am not going to do anything. I’ve already told you that. Coraline made me promise. I am not going to go against my word. I’ll do my best to keep the Charmings reigned in. But, I would suggest you deliver on that spell soon, Bookworm. I have a very good feeling that Emma will actually time you and when that clock expires…”

“She’ll be a loose cannon.”

“Exactly.”

“Just remember how bad you thought that I was, Belle. You’ve never seen her upset. She’ll fight and she will fight hard. She will be almost uncontrollable if she decides to be.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t. She is stronger than me with her magic and she doesn’t have full control of it. She might do something that we can’t stop. And, we both don’t want that.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I know you will, Belle. You always have. I think that is why I think I might like you.”

“Excuse me?”

“I choose you to take care of her, Belle. I give you my daughter. I know that you will care for her and I know that you will fight for her. And, do you know why?”

“No,” she answered puzzled.

“Because you don’t give up. You never have, especially with Rumple. Even when I had you imprisoned, you never gave up that you would be freed and then you would save Rumple. I actually admire that, but I’ll tell you this. If you tell anyone I said that, I’ll end you.”

“I have no doubts. Now, can I see my sister? I need to talk to her to start the investigation.”

“She is the other room with her brother and family. Be my guest. You’re welcome here anytime, my dear. However, Rumple might be another case.”

She gave Belle a sweet smile and ushered her into the other room. Belle stopped as she watched Coraline and Henry interacting and playing the game. She saw Regina’s smile grow bigger at the sight. Emma met their eyes and smiled. Snow was even smiling. The family was all together for now and they would all, even Red and Belle, would fight to keep it that way.

“I’ll do my best, Regina. I will not fail. We will find a way.”

“We have to, Belle. I will not lose my family. I will not let that happen,” Regina told her.


	18. Chapter 18

Will was glad that she didn’t have to wait long for Belle to show her where Rumple was. She wasn’t actually too surprised that he was running the local pawn shop. She wondered how much business he actually did. It seemed that everyone knew he was the Dark One. She was actually glad that it didn’t too long for her to find him. 

Now she just had to gather up the courage to get back in town and enter his shop. That was going to be the hard part, because she was sure that if she parked her car outside the shop she knew that Emma and Coraline would recognize it. It didn’t help that she had Massachusetts plates either. She knew that if Emma or Coraline didn’t say something about the car, Ruby would. She could only hide in plain sight if she could pass for a local.

She needed to avoid the Wolf at all costs. She knew that Red would be able to tell where she had been if she wanted, but Will was doing her best to cover her tracks. She didn’t need anyone stopping her from seeing Gold, as he was called here. She needed to get her information and then get out of town before Regina realized who she was or Coraline or Emma saw her.

Tuck had kept to his word and didn’t tell anyone that she was there. She is pretty sure that he just didn’t care where she from. He would allow her to stay as long as she wanted because she was someone knew to talk to and she wasn’t part of the “Merry Band of Men.” She understood looking for someone knew to talk with, but she wondered what he really wanted to know from her. He never pushed much for personal information. He was actually quite casual with her, so much so, that it unnerved her sometimes. She was just glad that their conversation all happened in the office when she was getting new linens or shampoo and stuff. 

But, today, she needed to talk to Rumple. She’d waited long enough. It had been a week since he made Belle angry about Coraline. It was almost time for Emma’s deadline, too. This town really didn’t have very many secrets if one knew how to listen. And, listening was part of what Will did best. Will had heard enough in the diner to realize that Rumple’s wife could pull his strings, plus she possessed the knife. She could control him. Will wasn’t willing to go that far, but she needed answers. She needed to know why Rumple sent her here.

She walked into town hoping that her dyed hair would be enough to hide her. She knew that Regina, Snow, Emma or Coraline would recognize her immediately by her red hair and Ruby by her smell. So she had taken the appropriate precautions before starting her walk, but she knew that there were things that she couldn’t hide. Her walk and accent being two of those things.

She made in through town with little fanfare. No one seemed to care who she was, nor did they question her as she made her way to Gold’s shop. The only person who look at her was Ruby and that was from the diner. She didn’t say anything or come out of the diner. She just watched Will walking down the street. 

Will wanted to believe that Red wouldn’t say anything, but she knew that the Wolf was cautious. She had every right to be. She just hoped that after she got her answers from Gold today that she would have enough time to get out of town. The only other thing she was hoping for was that Coraline would call her back so they could talk.

She pushed the door to Gold’s shop in and heard the bell jingle. She took a deep breath and stepped inside. It was darker than outside but she could see all the things inside the shop. They were all trophies of Rumple in some form or another. She wondered if he had anything of hers there. Absent mindedly she began twisting the ring on her finger again.

“Hello, Dearie,” he greeted her as he came in the part of the shop from the back.

“Hello, Rumple.”

“And, what can I do for you?” 

“You know how I am?” she asked him in reply.

“Of course, I do, Dearie.”

“Then, tell me why I am here,” she demanded.

“That is because you’ve chosen to be here.”

“I didn’t chose to come here, Rumple. This is where you sent me. Why?”

“You wanted a new life, Wilhelmina. I gave you a new life. What you’ve done with it is your own doing,” he told her.

“You can see the future still?” she asked.

“Depending on the situation, yes.”

“And, you could then. When I was younger, you could see my future. Did you see this?”

“I didn’t see much past my curse, Dearie. Magic works differently here. I never knew that I would see you again, if that is what you are asking,” he replied.

“But, you knew that I would be here when Regina cast the curse?”

“I had my suspicions.”

“And, you didn’t think to warn me?”

“What good would it have done?”

“Do you know why I am here, now?”

“Because of Regina’s offspring.”

“You knew?”

“That Coraline was hers? No, I did not. At least, I didn’t until Belle told me.”

“She is angry with you,” Will told him.

“She’ll get over it like she has everything else that I have done. That woman is not her blood and not her responsibility. She tried to take Belle from me. Why am I the only who sees it?”

“Because you are the only who sees it. Coraline won’t take Belle from you, Rumple. You will send her away like everyone else in your life. She will run from you when she realizes that she can’t heal you. She’ll run from you when she realizes that she can’t change you, because all you want, all you have ever wanted was power.”

“What are you trying to tell me?” Rumple demanded.

“She wouldn’t take Belle from you, Rumple. She is just trying to understand a family that she doesn’t have in the future. Maybe if you would listen to the gossip in the town more often, you’d know more about your own wife. She loves you and you are the one destroying your own marriage. There is no outside force against. They all forces from within,” Will explained.

“Well what do you want with me, Vulcannonian?”

“What is my future?”

“You future was here in this world. It was yours to do as you pleased. What you’ve done with it is your own problem. I don’t owe you that.”

“I believe you do.”

“How so?”

“I asked you to send me to a world without magic, to a world where I couldn’t fall prey to those who wielded it, and you sent me here. It is obvious to me that this world has magic. You are here. Regina is here. Hell, even the wolf pup is here and all grown up. I’ve seen Snow walking the streets with her darling husband. So, tell me again, how I was supposed to come to a world without magic. I lived here for years without the knowledge of its existence and now that I am here, with you, my life could be forfeit. Do you not understand that, IMP?!? You owe me! Now, what do I have to do get out of this town and make everyone forget that I even exist?”

“What is wrong with them knowing you, Dearie?”

“Don’t you remember?”

“I remember plenty, Wilhelmina,” he replied.

“Then you also know that you are the reason that my family is dead. You destroyed an entire nation to get to me. Why? I should have known then that you wanted my powers. I would have given them to you that day if you had only asked. I would have given them to you. I was in pain. I was hurting. I would have forfeited that. But you don’t remember that, do you?” 

“Remember what?” Rumple asked her.

“That day I came to you so many years ago…”

 

Rumple’s castle many, many, many years ago

“Come in, come in, child. Did you bring it? Did you bring me what I asked for?”

“Yes, it’s here, Dark One. The witch in the forest was more than willing to give it up. But, tell me, why do you need this red cloak?” 

“Not for you to trouble yourself with, Dearie. It will make itself known in the future and I’m sure that you’ll understand it’s importance. Now are you sure that you want to leave the Court of the King? Are you sure that you couldn’t find service for the young queen?” he asked her.

“She doesn’t know what I am truly and I mean to keep it that way.”

“Why?”

“There is something about her that is drawing me in and I don’t want to deal with the consequences of it. I am a lone warrior. I serve no true king. My king is dead. I have no family left. I am the last of my kind and for some reason; you’ve made sure of that. I cannot stay here. I need to go, Rumpelstiltskin. You are the only one that can help me,” she told him.

“She draws you in…. Interesting. I will help you. But, it will come with a small price.”

“I’ve already recovered the cloak for you. What more could you want? What is it?”

“The cloak was a mere token. I’ll call it payment for your life. To cross realms will cost you more. I consider that a down payment. I don’t need you anymore. You’ve proven most helpful in my situation. Now, you want to leave and I understand that. But, what do I need? Hmm…” he stated tapping his index finger on his chin.

“What do you want, Rumple?!?”

“I want plenty, but I doubt that you can give it to me.”

“I would give you anything if only to see my father’s face again. I would give you all the powers of Vulcannon if I could have helped my people. I was too young when the war started and now I serve a king that doesn’t understand my hesitance to his queen. His daughter has been a pleasant distraction but now that he marries, she is given me to the new queen. I cannot be her protector. I can’t be near her. I need to go. I need to start over somewhere where I am not seen as Vulcannonian. Tell me what you need and I will get it for you,” Will told him.

“Anything?” he asked with a strange glee.

“Anything in this world,” she answered him.

“I have need of some of Regina’s hair.”

“Her hair?” Will asked him in obvious curiosity.

“Yes, just one strand will do. Bring me some of the new queen’s hair and I will give you what you want. But, hurry, Dearie. This deal won’t last long,” he told her.

She ran out of his castle and on to her horse. She sped across the kingdom as fast as her mount would take her. She needed to get out of the Enchanted Forest before her worst nightmare happened. She couldn’t fall for the queen. It wasn’t only forbidden, but it would break her. She’d lived for far too long to be settle down now. She needed to run. She knew that Regina was somehow part of her destiny, but she wasn’t her destiny.

 

“Ah, Dearie, I do. You returned within days with her hair. I am not sure that your horse made it too long after your departure. Cora was furious when she found out that I helped you just before the wedding. Now, are you going to tell me why you ran from the queen so quickly?”

“You know why,” she seethed.

“I am sure that I don’t.”

“Do you still have it?”

“Have what, Dearie?”

“Regina’s hair,” she stated.

“Oh, yes, I do. Don’t worry about it, Dearie. I keep it locked away. Wouldn’t want that power to fall into the wrong hands, now would we?”

“Her power?”

“Exactly.”

“What have you done?”

“I haven’t done a thing. You got me the hair. You gave it to me, remember? And in return, I gave you several beans. Our deal was made. You upheld your end of the bargain and I did mine. There is no more business to conduct.”

“There is still business between us, Imp.”

“What would you have now?”

“Give me Regina’s hair.”

“Well you see, you have nothing I want.”

“I sure that you can think of something.”

“Let me rephrase, then. You have nothing I want. And, what do you need it for?”

“That is for me to know.”

“Tell me and maybe, I’ll reconsider.”

“It concerns her daughter.”

“Then, I am all ears, Dearie. Please do tell. What do you mean to do to her?”

“It isn’t what I intend to do to her, Rumple. It is what I have already done to her. I need to be able to protect myself from Regina.”

“Meaning?”

“I’ve slept with her.”

“Regina?”

“No, you idiot. I slept with Coraline. When Regina finds out that I’ve deflowered her daughter, she’ll seek my head on a pike. You know her wrath. We could both see that before you corrupted it completely. Cora was a bitch, but you made the Evil Queen so much better.”

“Thank you, Dearie.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“You are the last of your kind, Vulcannonian. Don’t push me. You know what will happen.”

“I am the only thing that can stop you and you know that. That is why you really helped me isn’t it. You knew that if I was in the newly crowned Queen’s employ that I would be able to stop you from getting her to cast the curse. That’s it, isn’t it?” she asked him, touching a nerve.

“Fine. I’ll give you the hair only because I want to see if that will even protect you from Regina. I want to see her in action again. She was the most magnificent pupil I ever had. She could have been great if she could just let go of her emotions and give into pure hatred and anger,” he stated as he handed her the vial of Regina’s hair.

The strands of the black hair swirled in suspended animation. A light purple fog surrounded them and Will knew that it was the essence of her magic. She grasped the vial before Rumple could pull it back. She tucked it away in a pocket made from the royal blue cloak that Rumple didn’t know about. 

“Then thank the gods that there was always a little light in her heart.”

“What about her light?”

“You never paid enough attention to those around you, Rumple. Always out for self-preservation, never realizing that sometimes what was in front of you could save you. It’s too bad, too. You could have been extremely happy, but now, you’ll never know,” she stated.

“What does that mean, Dearie?”

“It means that you should never cross a Vulcannonian who still possesses their personal cloak,” she told, whirling her hands in the air and disappearing from his store.

 

It was an early morning with a nice chill in the air. Snow was walking down by the docks with Baby Neal. She was pushing the stroller. It had become a morning ritual of hers when he was younger. She had become mayor after the second curse. She would walk around the town every morning on her way to the mayor’s office, surveying things and seeing what needed to be fixed. That was almost two years ago.

Now, it was just habit and it gave her time to think. Regina was mayor again and the town was running smoothly. The only worry that she had was the relationships between Emma, Regina, and Coraline. She was still trying to come to grips with the possibility that Emma and Regina were together and in love.

She found that her walks near the docks always made her feel better. She figured it was the water. She remembered the similar feelings arising when she and Charming had taken over George’s kingdom. Their main castle was on the water. It was just more peaceful, and Snow was a believer in peace.

She watched the workers unloaded the ships today. She didn’t know why but she was pulled towards them. She saw the fishermen unloading their hauls from their night of fishing and getting them ready for the market. She watched as goods moved. She was happy that they could get good from other places now.

Those that did come to their little hamlet didn’t stay long and didn’t ask questions. If something was going on. Regina just closed the town line and they disappeared for a while. The goods would go back to their respective warehouse and the townspeople would do without for a while. They were used to it. They had twenty-eight years of experience to use. When the threat was gone, Regina would erase the line and they would rejoin the world. No one from the outside ever questioned it. Snow figured that it had to do with the town line and losing memories, which in this situation was for the best.

Today though, something caught her eye. She cocked her head as she pushed the stroller closer to the docks. There was a new worker dressed like the rest of them, but better. It was a woman. She was of average height but was very muscular and stocky. She was built for labor or war, Snow couldn’t decide which. She carried herself well. She walked with a purpose and almost in a regal manner. Her hair was dark, almost jet black and it was kept back with a simple hair tie at the base of her neck. She wore the same bright orange stocking cap that the rest of the dock workers wore. She had hers rolled up above her ears and it sat on her eyebrows. Her royal blue shirt set her apart. It wasn’t denim or a work shirt. It was finer. The dark jeans she wore were loose in the leg but fit her like glove everywhere else. When she turned to face up the way to where Snow was standing, she could see her bright blue eyes.

Snow couldn’t place what called her to the woman. She didn’t recognize her from the Forest, the first or the second curse. She surely had to be someone remarkable to stay if she wasn’t from Fairy Tale Land, but there was more to it.

“Willow! Watch that beam!” a voice across the dock called out to her.

The woman turned and waved her hand at the other dock worker in response. It was then that Snow saw the fire red gem stoned ring that woman’s finger. She saw the ring and she knew exactly why she was drawn to her. There couldn’t be any other reason. She needed to talk to Regina. She needed let her know what she had found because she would be the only other person in Storybrooke that knew what it meant.

Snow pulled out her phone and dialed Regina without even thinking about it. It took exactly two rings before she heard her former step-mother’s timber on the other end of the line. She just hoped that Regina would actually believe her that the legends were true and she hadn’t been lying to her as a child. She would have proof now.   
“Snow, what do I owe the pleasure of talking to you this early about?” Regina asked her.

“I need to talk to you.”

“I am sure that you do, dear, but it is early. You can stop by the office later. I’ll let Gretchen know to let you through. I am assuming that this has something to do with Coraline or Emma. I can’t think of any other reason for you to be calling. Is there something I don’t know about? Should I cancel my meetings today and other plans?” Regina asked her, suddenly worried about what Snow might have stumbled upon in their sleepy little town.

“Cancel them if you have any.”

“Snow, what on earth for?” Regina inquired, suddenly perturbed by Snow’s bluntness.

“I’ve seen a Fire Ring of Vulcannon.”

She heard Regina’s gasp, but she waited to see what the other woman would say. They both felt responsible for the town. They were both mayors, and it didn’t matter that Regina was the one that was currently occupying the office. Regina had helped Snow and after Snow decided to actually hold an election and Regina had won. Snow gladly gave her the office back. After all Regina had run the town for twenty-eight years without many problems and the townspeople remembered that come Election Day. It also helped that no one, not even Snow, ran against her that year.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Snow said plainly.

“I’ll meet you at Granny’s in ten minutes,” Regina told her ringing off.

Snow entered Granny’s and found Regina already in a booth in the back nursing a coffee. Ruby saw her and brought her a hot cocoa with cinnamon without her asking for it. She looked up at Ruby when she put the mug down and smiled. Ruby just nodded and walked off.

“So, where were you?” Regina asked as she put her coffee cup down on the saucer on the table.

“Down by the docks.”

“The docks?”

“I was walking Neal. I usually go down on the pier and around and back into town, but something today pulled me to the docks. We sat on a bench and watched the workers.”

“And that is when you saw it’?” Regina asked her.

“Yes.”

“Can you tell me about the person that you saw wearing the ring?” Regina inquired being suddenly very attentive to her.

“Yes,” Snow replied.

“And?” Regina pushed.

“She reminds me of an old guard from the palace but her coloring is wrong…well, except for her eyes.”

“Her eyes?”

“Yes, her eyes,” Snow repeated.

“What about her eyes?” Regina asked her.

“They are as blue as ice.”

“Wilhelmina?” Regina questioned in recognition.

“Maybe, I wasn’t that close. Her hair wasn’t red. It was black, jet black. But, I’d know those eyes anywhere. They pierce you. And, she wasn’t dressed like the other workers, too,” Snow added a terrified confused look crossed her face.

“Finer and better?”

“Yes, more like royalty. The way she carried herself.... It reminded me of you. No offense.”

“None taken, dear. If it is Wilhelmina, I wonder why she would be working the docks and not in town. She hasn’t made her presence known. There is something odd here and I think that we need to figure it out.”

“Shouldn’t we call Emma and tell her about it?”

“And, let her fret over nothing, no. We’ll go talk to this person and see what they know. I am sure that they have some elaborate story. Besides, it isn’t like Rumple would sell anyone that ring. He knows what it means to the people of Vulcannon and what it means to him. I doubt that he would sell it. He would hold on it, closely, and gloat,” Regina stated.

“It’s true then? What they say he did? He killed them all?” Snow asked.

“It would appear that it wasn’t all of them.”

“Do you plan on driving, because I walked here?”

“I guess not, then, dear. I’ll teleport us there. Trust me. It won’t hurt him at all,” Regina told her.

She watched as Snow put Neal between them in a papoose. When Snow was happy with the placement, she walked closer to her. Regina took her hand and held it tight. She then placed her other hand on Neal’s little head.

“Don’t worry, dear. I am not going to let anything happen to him. I’ll defend him as my own.”

“I know that, Regina. I’ve seen you do it before. Let’s go before I lose my nerve.”

“Hold on tight, little Snow,” she told her and teleported them to the docks.

When Snow opened her eyes, they were at the rails and the bench where she had been earlier. Regina let them go and walked over to the bench to sit down. She waited for Snow to do the same. Snow slowly walked over to the bench and sat down.

“This is where you were?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Who is it?”

Snow scanned the docks looking for the woman. When she didn’t immediately see her, she wondered if the other woman had seen her staring earlier and left. Then she saw her come out of one of the warehouses.

“Her, there,” Snow stated pointing down at her, just as Regina saw the ring sparkle in the sunlight. Regina nodded. She narrowed her eyes, trying to make out more of the woman’s features. She couldn’t tell if it really was Wilhelmina but she couldn’t rule it out.

“Is that her?” Snow asked when Regina hadn’t said anything more.

“I don’t know. But, then again, you knew her better than I did, Dear. Have you tried speaking with her yet?” Regina asked her.

“No, I figured that you would want to know first. If that is her, how come we didn’t notice her in the first curse? Why are we just seeing her now?” 

“I don’t know, Snow. I really don’t. But, I can tell you that I mean to find out. Let’s go for now. I will find her later. I think that I should go check in on Belle and see what progress she has made on a counter spell for Coraline.”

“That is a good idea.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I was there when Emma gave Belle the ultimatum. I don’t want Emma to confront Rumple. It would be bad and we both know it. For once, Regina you are the one with the cool head.”

“Years of practice dealing with you, Dear,” Regina replied sarcastically.

 

Snow and Regina made their way back into town and to the diner. When they entered the diner, Red and Granny both looked up at them. Red could tell that something was up between them. 

“Do I need to call Emma?” Ruby asked as they sat down.

“No, not yet. Is Belle here? I need to talk to her.”

“She should be coming over from the library for an early lunch,” Ruby replied.

“Good. Can I get a coffee black and a cocoa with cinnamon for Snow? If you have some scones or something that would be nice, too,” Regina told her as they got a table.

“You got me a cocoa?” Snow asked as she sat, situating Neal beside her in a high chair.

“Are you not thirsty?”

“I am just surprised is all.”

“Snow, I thought we were passed this.”

“I’m still dealing with you and Emma.”

“Snow, I am not going to hurt her. You have to know that. If I was going to hurt her, I would have done it before now. Unfortunately, she has inherited your knack for thwarting my every attempt,” Regina stated sarcastically.

It just as Regina finished her statement that Ruby brought their drinks. She gave Regina a small growl before she snickered at her joke. She smiled at Snow, dipped at the knees like she always did, and then went back to the counter.

“I’ve noticed,” Snow answered after sipping her cocoa.

“I do love her.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

“Then what do you doubt?” Regina asked her.

“I’m not even sure I know at this point, but I swear if you hurt her…”

“I’m not going to hurt her. I love her too much. I love her enough to give her a child, Snow. That must count for something with you. I followed her to my own death, if Coraline is to be believed. What do I need to do to prove to you that I mean your family no harm?”

“I don’t know, Regina. I believe you. I do. Because, I remember how you were before. That is how you are again. It is just hard for me to see you with Emma and not think the worst. It is hard for me to believe that you and Regina have a child. How does that even happen?”

“I don’t know. I am looking into that myself. It isn’t unheard of, but I can’t think of a single instance from out time. They were all legends. And, we all know what stock we put into legends. Right now, that isn’t really a worry of mine,” Regina told her.

“Why not?”

“Because I love Emma enough to know that it just happens. I love her enough to want to protect her from the coming Blackness. We need to find out how to stop the Blackness. That and Coraline are my first priority at the moment. Then there is the issue with Rumple…”

“That is why I am here,” Belle said joining them and sitting down next to Snow.

Ruby brought her a cup of coffee and set it down in front of her. She smiled at Belle, who returned her smile. Belled mumbled a thank you and Ruby left them at the table.

“What have you found out?”

“It is a blood lock,” Belle told her.

“A blood lock? Damn him. That means that only Henry would be able to enter the house.”

“Actually, it is a little different,” Belle stated.

“A little different how?” Snow asked.

“The lock is to keep Coraline out.”

“I know that,” Regina stated forcefully.

“Think about that for a minute. The lock is designed to keep Coraline and only Coraline out. It seems that anyone else can go in.”

“That…that imp.”

“How? Wait, does that mean that anyone of Coraline’s line can’t enter either? Why?” Snow asked them both.

“He didn’t just block Coraline. He locked me out as well. He would have had to. That means that not only can Henry go in the house, but Emma and your family as well. He locked Coraline and me out. He knew that I might try, so he used my bloodline to lock it,” Regina answered.

“Yeah, it seems that way. If he had used something from Coraline, it would block the entire Charming/Swan line to include Henry. He wouldn’t do that, because it would block out Henry. But, what I don’t understand is that he would need something from you to do it, either hair or blood. It would have had to be something that he could have put into a potion. Did you ever give him any blood or hair?” Belle asked.

“No, I didn’t. I would have never done that. There is no telling what magic he could have conjured if I had,” Regina replied.

“I did, though,” Snow added.

“I know. How do you think he brought magic back? He used your hair to make a True Love potion. It seems that you and Charming radiate it,” Regina replied.

“Are you blaming us for this?” Snow asked.

“No, Dear, I’m not. But, it seems that Rumple has been manipulating me longer than I thought. If he had a hair or blood of mine, he used it to cast the spell. It will not allow me or Coraline to enter, but anyone else will. This means that you and Emma will have to collect Coraline’s belongings. Do you think that you can handle that, if Belle goes with you?” Regina asked.

“Yes, of course,” Snow answered quickly.

“And, you, Belle?”

“I will help you. My memories maybe wrong, Regina, but I still think of her as my sister. I am as angry as you are about it. Forgive me for not expressing it like you do,” Belle stated.

“No, Belle, I am grateful for that,” Regina replied.

“What is it, Regina?” Belle asked.

“What are you talking about?”

“You have something else on your mind besides Rumple and Coraline.”

“I do.”

“Just tell her,” Snow commanded.

“What is it?” Ruby asked, joining them as soon as she heard Snow’s comment.

“It seems that there is a new comer to town,” Regina added.

“A new comer?” Belle asked.

“Yes, but I think that we know her. She have been in hiding trying to decide on how to make an entrance. I think that she is scared and has been out in the woods. I can’t prove that, but she seems very familiar,” Regina stated.

“I know her as well,” Snow added.

“Who is she?” Ruby asked.

“I am not sure, but I think that she was a member of my personal guard who was more like a warrior maiden,” Regina told them.

“Who?” Ruby asked again.

“She was Wilhelmina.”

“Pyroxes’ daughter?” Belle asked.

“You’ve heard of her?” Regina and Snow both asked.

“Yes, it was in Rumple’s chronicles.”

“What did they say?” Snow questioned.

“I don’t remember all of it, but I remember some it. Rumple befriended her and sent her away. He realized that he couldn’t defeat her or take her powers. She was too strong for him. She wanted to leave the Enchanted Forest and he gave her the means,” Belle stated.

“There has to be more to it than that. Rumple isn’t one to let power like that walk away. There must be a reason he did. He must have seen her doing something for her,” Regina added.

“I’m sure,” Red agreed.

“But, we aren’t sure that it is really her,” Snow stated.

“We need to be sure. We can’t go off and start something if we don’t have proof. We have so much to worry about without worrying about whether or not it is Wilhelmina. We have other things to deal with first. We know what Rumple did to the house and to Coraline. We know that the Blackness is coming. I don’t want to go after someone if we aren’t sure that it is who we think it is. We don’t know what causes the Blackness to start. What if it is this new comer? What if it is Wilhelmina because of something that Rumple did? We aren’t sure. We don’t know. We need to be sure, absolutely sure,” Regina told them.

“Sure about what?” Emma asked joining them for lunch with a to-go coffee in her hand.

They all looked up at her surprised. Ruby was the most jumpy because she hadn’t heard her coming. Emma saw their shock and wondered about it. She decided to wait to comment on it as she grabbed a chair from a nearby table and pulled it over to sit on.

“Hey, Belle, so today’s the day. Any news on the spell or whatever? Cause, I’m really wondering why Rumple thought it was a good thing to piss off the former Evil Queen and the Savior? I mean to anyone outside of Storybrooke or in it, that just sounds like a really, really bad idea,” Emma stated, picking up her coffee and taking a sip, eyeing them all questioningly.

 

Coraline stood outside the diner. She saw her family all together in there. She smiled as Regina, Emma, Red, Snow and Belle all talked together about the coming threat and over her well-being she mused. She knew that they were planning something and it more than likely concerned her, but at that point she didn’t care. She needed to talk to someone who didn’t have a familial tie to her. She wanted to talk to Will, but she wasn’t sure what she was going to say. She pulled out her phone to make the call. But, before she could dial the number, her phone rang.

“Hello,” Coraline stated answering it.

“Coraline, it’s Will. Can we talk? I’m in Maine and I would like to see you,” she told her.


	19. Chapter 19

“Coraline, you there?” Will asked because she hadn’t gotten a response.

“Yeah, I’m here,” Coraline answered.

“Sorry. I didn’t think that you would actually talk to me. I thought once you realized it was me that you would block it or hang up. I guess I should thank you answering,” Will replied.

“I should hang up on you. I know you lied to me. Why did you run away from me?”

“It is a long story. And, yes, I lied. I did have a job. It just didn’t fall through the way that I’d hoped. Which is how I ended up in Maine. I know that you said you lived in Storybrooke, where Emma was now Sheriff, but I can’t find it on any map. Will you meet me somewhere? I really want to talk to you. I want to explain why I reacted the way I did. If you’ll let me.”

“Where are you now?” 

Will was quiet for a minute. She had spent time since she’d come to Storybrooke looking for somewhere to meet Coraline that wasn’t in town, but it was close enough that she wouldn’t be questioned about it. She’d even scouted a place to stay.

“I’m in Camden.”

“That’s not far from where I am. I could meet you there, but I need to talk to Ma first. I need to let her know where I am going so she doesn’t send the Sheriff after me again,” she stated.

“I’m in a hotel,” she lied.

“I’ll call you in a little over an hour. I’ll talk to Ma and then head that way. You can give me directions to the hotel then. How does that sound?” Coraline asked her.  
“Sounds perfect. Tell Emma, I’m sorry. I promise that I’ll explain everything to you when you get here. Tell Emma that I might come back with you, too,” she replied.

“I will. I’ll call you soon. I need to go,” Coraline stated, and hung up not waiting for a reply.

She was pacing in front of the diner. She didn’t know what to do. She wanted to talk to Will, but she was hurt at the same time. She couldn’t explain the draw to her, but she knew that she had to go. There was something about Will being part of Emma’s past and her future that she didn’t understand. She couldn’t quite fathom it, but she knew that it existed.

She entered the diner and stopped. She let her eyes focus on Snow, Regina, Emma, Red and Belle all together. She sighed and this time Ruby realized that she was there.

“Emms…” Red said nodding towards the door.

Emma stood first and put her hand on Regina, letting her know that she would deal with whatever was bothering Coraline. Ruby stood next and got two cocoas with cinnamon. Emma was across the room faster than Coraline could predict. She smiled at her mother.

“What is it?”

“I need to talk to you,” Coraline stated.

Emma moved them to a front booth near the door and they sat. No sooner had they sat down then Ruby was giving them their drinks. Emma thanked her and Ruby went back to the other table with the rest of them.

“Well, what is it?”

“I need you to be Ma for a minute.”

“Whoa, okay, Kiddo, what’s up?” Emma asked her.

“I don’t know…. Well, Will called me.”

“Again?”

“Yeah.”

“Have you been talking to her since we got back?” Emma asked her.

“No, I haven’t. She called me to try to apologize again. I didn’t even think. I answered the phone,” Coraline told her.

“And?” 

“She wants to meet up.”

“Okay? And, what do you want to do? Better yet, where does she want to meet?”

“She is in Camden,” Coraline answered.

“You want to go, don’t you?”

“I do.”

“Then, go, Coraline. There is obviously something between the two of you, and honestly, you could do worse. I know Will. I know she’s loyal. And, I also know that if she is willing to meet with you that she means her apology. She probably had to deal with something and now, she wants you to know. She isn’t one to hide things, at least not very long. Go. I’ll deal with your Mom and the rest. If she makes you happy, that is all I care about,” Emma told her.

“Why?”

“Because you deserve to be happy, Coraline. Everyone does. Now go. I’ll deal with everything here. We may have found a way to help you get your things back from Belle’s house.”

“I’m not worried about that. You’ll get my things for me, Ma. Just don’t forget the cloak. That is going to come in real handy. That is the only thing there I want or need. Oh, and Mom’s journals, she might want those back,” Coraline answered.

“You’re acting like you aren’t coming home. You are coming back, right? You can’t go to her and not come back. We’ll come after you again. You know that we will,” Emma stated.

“I know. And, no, I will be back. I just don’t know when.”

“Take a few days. See what Will has to say. Forgive her if you want, but listen to this: keeping that much anger and hate in your heart bad things will happen to you. We’ll be fine here. Go. “

“Ma?”

“Yeah, Coraline.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Being you.”

“Can’t help that, Kiddo.”

“I know.”

“What is it?”

“Will might come back with me.”

“And, if she does?”

“I don’t want you to put the fear of whatever into her.”

“You aren’t going to have to worry about me doing that, Kiddo. Your mother will do that on her own. I need to talk to Will anyway, but I won’t give her any crazy parental speech.”

“Thank you.”

“Quit thanking me and go. Call me when you get there and let me know how to get in touch with you besides your cell. Also, you might want to run home and get some extra clothes. But, go already. If you don’t, I know that you won’t,” Emma told her.

“I’m going. I’m going. You’re sure about Mom, though.”

“I’ll deal with Regina. You do deal with Will. Just call us tonight, okay?”

“Okay, Ma,” Coraline answered, finished her cocoa and left the diner.

Emma sat there for a minute and smiled. She realized that her daughter would come to her when it came to relationships. She believed enough in Emma to see her as someone to come to and for Emma that would be enough for her to know.

She stood up and watched Coraline as she ran down the street back towards the mansion on Mifflin Street. She couldn’t help her smile. Coraline was so much like her and Regina that she was glad that she could have this opportunity with her. She loved her daughter and she would be whatever she needed: friend, mother, sister, or savior. 

“Hey,” Regina stated coming up behind her.

“Hey,” Emma replied.

“So, what was that about?”

“Our daughter has a crush.”

“A crush?”

“Well, I think it is more than a crush,” Emma replied.

“On your old bail bonds friend?” Regina asked.

“She could do a lot worse,” Emma stated.

“Do you trust her?”

“Trust who? Coraline? Of course, Regina, I trust our daughter.”

“No, do you trust Will?”

“I do. There is something off in the way that Will acted back in Boston, but she’s trying to apologize for it. I need to give her the benefit of the doubt. I owe her that much. We had each other’s back way back then. I need believe that she isn’t up to something dastardly.”

“And you think that she cares for our daughter?”

“I do.”

“And Coraline cares for her?”

“Yes, she does, more than she wants to admit.”

“So, what is Coraline doing about it?”

“She is going to see Will,” Emma stated.

“Where?” Regina asked suddenly worried.

“Will has been looking for Storybrooke, but couldn’t find it. That cloaking spell is still active. At least it won’t wipe our memories if we leave. But, she is in Camden. She called Coraline.”

“And?” Regina asked, pushing Emma for more.

“Coraline wants to go see her.”

“You told her to go?”

“I did,” Emma stated.

“Why?”

“Because she deserves her happiness.”

“And, what if she finds it here?”

“Then, she finds it here.”

“But, she needs to go back to the future to live her own life. She can’t stay here, Emma. It could upset things. It could have already altered the timeline in a way that it can’t be repaired.”

“I know that.”

“Then, why would you tell her to go see Will?” Regina asked.

“I don’t think that she wants to go back. She’s realized that there won’t be anything there for her. Her future changed as soon as she came here. If we find a way to defeat the Blackness, then there won’t be a need for her to come back. She has everything here that she wants Regina. And, like me, she gets to watch her parents fall in love. That truly is a magical thing.”

“Yes, but if she doesn’t go back, we won’t know if it worked.”

“Maybe it was her destiny to rewrite our future,” Emma stated turning around to face her.

“Emma…time isn’t something that you want to play with.”

“I know, remember? I have first-hand experience with it. I finally got to meet the Evil Queen. I’ve got to say one thing to say for that, though,” Emma started.

“And what’s that, Swan?”

“She was hot,” Emma whispered leaning closer to Regina as she said it.

“Emma!”

“What? She was. She was sexy, intimidating, but sexy as hell.”

“I can’t take you anywhere,” Regina stated, starting to move away.

“Are you done talking with Belle?”

“I guess, why?”

“Henry is at school.”

“I know.”

“Charming is at the station.”

“I know.”

“Everyone else that would bother us is here.”

“I know that,” Regina replied.

“Which means, I want to take you home. We can deal with the blood lock and Coraline’s things later. Belle upheld her end of the bargain and I will do the same.”

“Emma…”

“I want you. Now. No buts, Regina. I want you,” Emma told her.

“I’ll meet you at the house.”

“Don’t be long. I need you, Regina. Don’t deny me that,” Emma said.

“Go. I’ll be along shortly. I have some things to wrap up with Belle first. I’ll meet you there.”

“Twenty minutes,” Emma told her, kissed and left.

Regina reached up and touched her lips. There was a tingle there that she had to admit she would never want to give up. Her face lit up because she realized that not only did Emma love her, want her, and need her, but she desired all of her. She turned and walked back over to the other table.

“Everything okay?” Ruby asked her with a smirk.

“Perfect,” Regina said sitting down.

“Well?”

“I need to go clarify something with Emma and make sure that she doesn’t go after Rumple anyway. Thank you for your help, Belle, and your continued support. Can you please start researching everything you can on Pyroxes, Wilhelmina and the land of Vulcannon. Call my secretary. I’ll block tomorrow for you. And, Snow, don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”

“But…”

“Not, now. If it is Wilhelmina, she isn’t going to cause us any harm and we both know that. I only want to know why she is here, more than that, I don’t care.”

“You should care, Regina. She could have helped you. She could have…” Snow stated.

“She could have what? Fallen prey to one of Rumple’s schemes? I am pretty sure that it what happened. She is probably ashamed of her behavior. I don’t blame her for running. We found out too late that Rumple had decimated the islands. There was nothing she could have done to save her family, her people. I will not fault her for hiding,” Regina stated.

“I’ll see what I can find,” Belle stated.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll help,” Snow added.

“If you want,” Belle replied.

“What about the house?” Ruby asked looking straight at Regina.

“I’ll talk with Emma and see what she wants to do. She talked with Coraline. I don’t know what Coraline wants and I don’t want to pressure her into thinking that she has to have anything. I want to her be who she wants to be, however she wants to be it. I owe her that much.”

“Call me before you head over to the house. There is some research that I want to do about the blood lock. There may be a way to break it, but I’m not sure,” Belle told her.

“Nothing can break blood magic, Belle. It doesn’t matter how strong the practitioner. Trust me on that. I would know,” Regina stated.

“I have a hunch on something, though.”

“Do what you want then, Bookworm. I need to go. I’ll call you later, Red. I’ll see you tomorrow, Belle. Good day,” Regina told them leaving them at the table and heading home.

“Wonder what got into her all the sudden,” Snow stated.

“Emma,” Ruby replied without thought.

Snow’s gasp was enough for her to realize that she’d said it out loud. But, it was Belle’s hand on her thigh that made her realize it was out of place. She looked at Belle and then Snow.

“Sorry,” Red stated, hanging her head.

Belle squeezed her leg and then absent-mindedly began to rub it. Ruby’s whole body tensed, but she didn’t stop it. Snow gave her a strange face.

“You’re right, though,” Snow answered.

“How is that?” Ruby asked.

“Emma has changed her. I can see that they are good together and even I’ll admit that Coraline brings the best out of them while bringing them closer together. I guess I don’t to want to think about them together. She is still my daughter even if she is almost my age,” Snow stated.

“Well, she’s my best friend and my God-daughter. And, well, Regina has become more than ally for me. I wish them the best, Snow. They seem to make each other happy. Let them be.”

“I will. Shall we head to the library, Belle? We have some histories to read,” Snow stood up and gathered Neal.

“I’ll watch him here at the diner. We aren’t that busy. You can pick him up when Charming gets off work,” Ruby told her taking him from Snow. “Cause your Aunty Red is going to teach you how to make pancakes and other things.”

“You are going to spoil him,” Belle told her.

“That’s the idea. We all are. He is the prince. Now, go on, the both of you,” Ruby stated.

 

Regina entered her house and made her way upstairs. Emma was already there she could tell. When she made her way into her room, she stopped when she saw Emma waiting for her.

“Well, I see you’ve made yourself comfortable,” Regina told her.

“You were taking too long,” Emma replied.

“I can’t help your mother doesn’t know when to stop talking.”

“Can we not talk about her, right now?” 

“Sorry, Dear, but I really wasn’t that late,” Regina replied.

“Yeah, you are,” Emma replied coming over to where Regina was standing in the doorway.

“I guess you think so since you’ve already removed your boots, socks, and jacket.”

“I told you what I wanted,” Emma stated.

“Emma, you promised that we would wait until we knew how we made Coraline.”

“Look at me and honestly tell me that you don’t want me,” Emma commanded.

“I can’t.”

“Then, let’s not worry about it. She’s created magically, right? We know that much. What I want to do doesn’t need magic, just us and your bed,” Emma stated.

Regina sighed. Emma circled her arms around her and pulled her close. Regina melted into her.

“Emma…”

“You wouldn’t’ve come if you didn’t want this as well, Regina, and we both know it. Now, let me show you how much I desire you. I need you, Regina. Will you let me?”

Emma punctuated her question with a kiss. She found the spot just below Regina’s ear that caused her to lose all sense of decorum. She moaned as Emma continued down her throat.

“Emma…”

“Yes?” she asked, backing away from her a neck and looking into her eyes.

Regina’s eyes were expressive as always and Emma’s were full of life and love. There was always something in them that Regina could hold on to when she thought she was going to lose it all. Emma grounded her in a way that she couldn’t understand fully and she knew why.

“I love you,” Regina told her.

“I love you, too.”

It was enough to break down her barriers again. She knew that Emma wanted her and she wanted Emma. It was enough. It would always be enough. Emma wasn’t just made of True Love, she was True Love, and she made True Love in her relationships. Regina then answered her declaration in the only way that she could. She kissed Emma, passionately.

“But, Emma, how is Coraline supposed to call us if she doesn’t have her phone?”

“She does have it.”

“How? She told me that it was left in the house when Rumple kicked her out. What did you do? Get her a new one?”

“Nope,” Emma told her kissing her neck.

“Then, how does she have her phone?”

“Belle gave it to her a few days ago. She got it and some of your journals. She figured that Coraline would need it. She gave Coraline her wallet, phone and car keys. She was trying to figure out spell. I guess Belle thought that I wasn’t paying attention to her that much, but I was. She really wants to help us and save Coraline. And, she is still mad at Rumple.”

“And, you didn’t bother to tell me this sooner?” Regina said, pulling her closer.

“It didn’t really seem to matter at the time.”

“And it does now?”

“I just wanted you to know that I didn’t send our grown daughter out into the world without some sort of communication back to us. I might not always think things through, but I wasn’t going to let her go without it. She asked for permission. I gave her permission,” Emma stated.

“Without asking me first?” Regina asked.

“I wanted you and I know how to get you to agree. Besides, I thought that you already knew that she had her phone back. How was I to know you didn’t? You have been working with Belle at the library looking for something about the Blackness. I am starting to feel left out.”

“Do you now, Dear?” 

“Yeah, I do.”

“I am sorry, Emma. I am worried about the future. You know that.”

“I do. But, right now, I don’t care about that. I only care about you. And, I planning make you forget all that for a while,” Emma told her.

“And, how do you plan on doing that?”

“Like this,” Emma said, picking her up and placing her on the bed.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, because I think we both need this now,” Emma stated as she kissed her way down Regina’s neck.

“But, Emma…”

“Nope, not today. We deserve to be happy Regina. Nothing should keep us from that or each other. We are going to find a way and we are going to have a family.”

“I know that,” Regina told her.

“Then, for once stop thinking and starting feeling,” Emma replied, kissing her fiercely.

 

Snow and Belle had been in the library for hours looking over books when Ruby found them. She wanted to laugh at the sight. Snow and Belle were both hunkered down over some old books. Ruby had come over with some coffee for them. She knew that they would need it. 

“Hey, guys,” Ruby said as she sat down with them.

“Hey, Ruby,” Snow replied.

Belle looked up from her book and smiled at them. She took the coffee, but she didn’t say anything more. She looked back down at the book and started reading again.

“Find anything good?” Ruby asked, trying to get a conversation going.

“Not really. I’ve been looking of the limited histories of Vulcannon while Belle has been working on finding a way to break the blood luck. She seems obsessed with finding a way to let Coraline back into the house. I just figured that we would go get whatever she needs.”

“We could, you know?” Ruby told her.

“I know that, Ruby. I am still mad with him. I want to make sure that he can’t do it again. I want to find a way to reverse it. I don’t need the house, so I don’t know why he threw her out. It doesn’t make sense. Why is he so upset? What did Coraline actually do to him? Nothing, she lied because she had to. It just doesn’t seem like he should be that upset about it,” Belle said.

“Have you asked him?” Snow asked.

“Several times, actually. He just keeps telling me it is because she lied. He even got made when I went over there earlier in the week and got her phone and wallet. I was just trying to help Coraline. He knew that I would, but I don’t understand why he would be so upset with me getting her things for her. It is almost like he wants her to have nothing,” Belle stated.

“But, why?” Snow asked.

“Does he hate Regina that much?” Ruby asked.

“I don’t know. I really don’t. And, I’m beginning to wonder if I really know him anymore.”

“What are you saying, Belle?” Snow asked.

“I beginning to think that I don’t know my own husband anymore,” Belle replied with an exasperated sigh and a flourish of her hands before they hit the book in front of her.

“Oh, Belle,” Snow stated.

“It is like he would rather be angry then really try,” Belle added.

“Have you tried talking to him about it?” Ruby questioned.

“Every time I try, he pushes back. I know that he is the Dark One, but he has a good side. I’ve seen it. I’ve felt it. But, I’m starting to think that his personal quest for power and magic is clouding his rational judgment more so than normal. It is like he can’t function without trying to find more. I…I don’t know that I can help him.”

“Belle…”

“It’s likes he’s reverting back into the Dark One a little more each day. I have the dagger. I can control him, but I shouldn’t have to have that kind of power to get something from him, right? He should want to do it on his own,” Belle stated.

She lay down on the book in front of her. Snow and Ruby looked at each other and didn’t know what to say. Belle had been always been quiet about her issues with Rumple. She’d kept her personal issues to herself because she thought she had to. She didn’t want to be a burden on anyone else. She always sought a way to find a solution.

“Belle?”

“Yes, Ruby,” she answered still with her face in the book.

“Do you want to take a break?”

“No, I don’t. I need to figure this out. It isn’t just for me, Ruby. If it was, I might give up. But, it isn’t. It doesn’t just affect me,” she answered.

“So what do you want to do?” Snow asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, we’re here if you need us,” Snow told her reaching across the table and grabbing her hand, squeezing it to reiterate her point.

Belle looked up from the book, with a watery smile, and told them, “Thank you.”

“Hey, we’re friends. We take care of each other. Are you sure that you don’t need anything? I mean it, anything at all?” Snow asked.

“Can I stay with one of you tonight? I don’t want to go home. I need some time away.”

“Of course, Belle,” Ruby stated.

“Thank you.”

“It’s no problem,” Ruby replied.

Belle looked down at the books again with a smile on her face. She seemed lighter, happier, now. She felt better knowing that Snow and Ruby didn’t judge her for her relationship with Rumple. They supported her and they were willing to help her. When she looked back up to face them again, her smile grew.

“What?” Ruby asked, noticing the change.

“I found a way to break the lock!” she shouted.

“How?” Snow asked.

“I have to talk to Midas. He has all the property records and bank levies. I need to see if he can rework some of the details for the property,” Belle stated.

“I am sure that we can get Katherine to help us with that,” Snow added.

“Should we call Regina?” Ruby asked.

“No, I think that I can handle this on my own. Are you going to stay and keep researching, Snow? Because, if you are, I’ll make sure to come back here after I am done at the bank with Midas. If not, I’m going to lock up now,” Belle stated.

“I’ll wait here for you,” Snow told her.

She could see the intrigue on Snow and Ruby’s faces, but she didn’t do anything to answer their unasked questions. She didn’t even know if this would work, but she had to try. She wanted to prove to Regina and Emma that just because she was married to Rumple that she didn’t subscribe to his mentality. Deep down, she knew that they knew that, but she still felt the constant need to remind herself that she was good. It gave her hope and the more hope that she had for better days and a better, more fulfilling life, the more she could spread that hope to others.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Ruby asked her.

“No, you can stay here with Snow. I’ll be fine. But, thank you for offering. I’ll see you both in a little while. Thank you for your help,” Belle told them as she left the table and then the library.

“Why do I get the feeling that Rumple is going to be very angry with us when she is done?”

“Because he will probably be,” Snow stated.

“Should we warn Regina and Emma about it?” 

“Not yet. Let’s wait and see if what she is trying is going to work. I don’t want to get anyone riled up if we don’t have to, yet. It is bad enough that Emma wants to fight him. I don’t want to add fuel to that fire until we have to. I just hope that Rumple doesn’t try to do anything further.”

“Why is that?” Ruby asked her.

“Because he’ll end up taking on the entire town. He really doesn’t have that many friends and those that he does have aren’t stupid enough to go against the former Evil Queen and the Savior. Too many people will support Emma just because she is my daughter and they support me. They’ll look to us to see what we will do. And, I will support Emma no matter what.”

“I really hope that Gold isn’t that stupid,” Ruby added.

“Me, too,” Snow stated.

 

It was late in the evening when Belle went to Regina’s house. She’d found a way to break the spell and it was surely a way that Rumple wasn’t ever going to think would happen. All she needed now was a signature or two and the lock would break. She had figured out what blood lock Rumple cast earlier in the week, but she wasn’t sure that she could find a way to break it. When she figured that out, she knew that she would have to act quickly. She had to do it before Rumple got word of what she was really doing in the library so late all the time.

She knocked on the door a few times gently, hoping that Regina was actually home. She sighed and then smiled as she heard footsteps approaching the door. She mentally prepared herself for Regina’s coming questions and possible wrath, but when she knew that she would make her smile instead, Belle’s fears disappeared.

The door opened and it wasn’t Regina who opened it. Emma stood there surprised to see Belle and likewise Belle was surprised to see her. Emma moved back to let her in and Belle took a few tentative steps into the house. She could hear Regina in the kitchen.

“Follow me,” Emma told her taking her to the kitchen.

Regina was sautéing something on the stove. Belle sniffed as she sat on a bar stool at the bar overlooking the stove. Whatever it was, it smelt wonderful. Regina continued to move food around the skillet, while Emma got a beer out of the fridge. 

Belle smiled at the sudden domesticity of it all. She knew that the beer had to be a recent purchase for Emma’s benefit because Belle knew that Regina only drank her cider. Regina looked up from her cooking at smiled at her.

“Good evening, Bookworm. To what to do we owe this honor? Did you find out something more from this afternoon?” Regina asked her.

“I have.”

“So, what is it?” Emma asked, setting her beer on the bar and leaning against it.

“I found a way to break the lock.”

“And?” Regina questioned, arching an eyebrow and pushing the skillet to an unlit burner.

“All I need is your signature,” Belle told them.

“Wait a minute here. You came here to tell us that you found a way to break the blood lock spell on the house and now, you’re asking Regina for her signature. Forgive me if this doesn’t stink of something Rumple would have come up with to get Regina back into his debt somehow.”

“There is no way I will ever sign a deal with him,” Regina stated pushing back from the stove to lean on the other counter in the middle of the cooking area of the kitchen.

“No, no, it isn’t a contract. Well, it is, but it isn’t from Rumple. It is from the bank. Midas himself has already signed it. So have I. All we need is Regina’s signature and it will make it legally binding. Rumple can’t go against the law with the magic he used,” Belle told them.

“Belle, dear, I think you better explain in further detail,” Regina suggested.

“Oh, yes, sorry. I found the spell that he cast. It was relatively simple actually. I mean it was elementary even for Rumple. He had to have some piece of you somehow, hair or blood. I know that you said you didn’t give it to him, but that doesn’t mean that someone else didn’t.”

“Go on,” Regina urged her as her anger grew, because she was pondering who had betrayed her.

“Anyway, he cast’s the blood lock banning you and your kin. This won’t affect Henry or Emma. I wonder why he didn’t want to affect them. Then, I figured it out. He was going to leave the property to family. If he blocked Coraline thru Emma’s side, he would effectively block his only legacy,” Belle stated.

“Henry!” Emma shouted.

“Exactly.”

“By going after Regina, he still leaves the house open for Henry. He is your son in name, but not blood so the spell wouldn’t affect him. However, Coraline is not of Rumple’s line. He can block her by blocking you. The spell is actually very easy to counteract which is why I am surprised that he cast it to begin with. But then again, I don’t think that he thought we would dig into it this quickly and this hard,” Belle explained.

“Okay, so what have you done?” Regina asked her.

“I found a loop hole,” Belle told her all smiles.

“Which is?” Emma asked.

“The lock only works if all parties who own the property still own it.”

“I don’t understand,” Emma stated.

“You didn’t,” Regina replied.

“Sign here and I have.”

“He gave you that property as a wedding present, and your father’s house and shop,” Regina said as she picked up the papers that Belle handed her.

“I know. I’ve already been to Father’s. He’s signed the papers. He’s safe. Sign the papers, Regina. Please.”

“Someone explain this to me, cause I think I missed something in the translation.”

“It seems that our Bookworm found a glaring miscalculation in Rumple’s spell.”

“Which is what exactly?” Emma asked.

“He cast the spell on property that he continued to own through his marriage to Belle. As a present to Belle and to show he turned over a leaf in life, he gave Belle the primary ownership of the properties. Which, if I am to understand what Mrs. Gold has done, is signed the house over to me, thus negating his spell and allowing Coraline free access. Gold will no longer have any claim to the property as soon as I sign the papers and neither with Belle. I will own the house. And, since I will own the house, the spell will dissipate because it will no longer have purpose.”

“Cool,” Emma replied.

“Yes, Sheriff, that is indeed cool.”

“Will you sign the papers?” Belle asked her.

“Why are you doing this?” Regina asked her, pen in hand, poised and ready.

“I’ve already told you this. I am tired of him ruining lives. I’ve taken all the properties that he has put my name on and given them to the residents or business owners. The house, however, I am giving to you because I know that it is the only way I can give it to Coraline,” Belle stated.

“What about Rumple?” Emma asked.

“I’ll deal with him later.”

“Belle, you can’t go back to him after this. He’ll be furious. He might hurt you.”

“I’m already prepared for that, Regina. I’ll stay with Snow or Red. They’ve already agreed to help me. I will not burden myself upon this town. I’ll live at the library if I have to,” Belle said.

“Nonsense, dear, you will stay at the house with Coraline if she so wishes. She can protect you. Or, you can stay here. Rumple won’t dare enter my home. We have an understanding.”

“Which didn’t seem to matter when it came to our daughter,” Emma added.

“I know that. And, I am sure that he is wondering why I haven’t retaliated for that yet. I will get my revenge on him, but it will wait. I will not start a war in this town. It is my town and I mean to make sure that it survives. I may have built this town out of hatred, but I have come to love it and will not see it burn because of some old squabble between us. That goes for you, too, Emma. I do not want you to provoke him,” Regina told them.

“What if he provokes me?” Emma questioned, taking another pull of her beer.

“Then, you walk away. Find me, and together we will find a way to deal with it. You cannot go against him on your own. I will not lose you to him. If he is seeking revenge, he will go after you or Coraline. He’s shown his hand, but I’m still holding my cards,” Regina replied.

“She’s a beast at poker,” Emma added.

“I’m sure. I’ve seen her queenly face. She can betray nothing when she needs to, Emma. Rumple taught her many things, but her mother schooled her on emotion.”

“That she did, dear. That she did. And, Rumple knows that. I am sure that he wondering why I didn’t take the normal Cora approach to my misery. Why haven’t I leveled the town looking for him? The answer is simple. He wants that and for that reason, he will not get it,” Regina said.


	20. Chapter 20

Regina signed the papers with a flourish and handed them back to Belle. She gave Regina a smile as she took the papers. The air around them seemed lighter.

“That should take care of it.”

“So, now what?” Emma asked.

“It would seem that with my signature I have broken the blood lock. Rumple no longer owns the property. I do. Coraline will be free to come and go there as she likes.”

“Are you sure that you want to do this?” Emma asked her, again.

“It is right. I am tired of trying to find the goodness in him when he seems to not care. I don’t care what his reasoning is for blocking her from the house. It was wrong. It is the only home that she has ever known here. I will not take that from her.”

“I’ll leave it up to her, if she wants to go back,” Regina told them.

“Of course, and if she doesn’t. Well, then, Henry will have somewhere to go when he is old enough. That is if you don’t sell it before then,” Belle stated.

“I don’t want to think that far ahead,” Regain admitted.

“I understand. I’ll be at Red’s apartment if you need me for anything else. I’ve got some more books that I want to look through tonight before I go to bed. Thank you for your support and if you need me…” Belle started.

“I’ll call Ruby,” Regina told her.

“Go. Take it easy, Belle. Hopefully this will all work out for the best.”

Emma escorted her back to the front door and watched her walk down the path. She slowly made her way back into the kitchen. She sat back down on the stool and watched as Regina finished cooking dinner for the three of them.

“What?” Regina asked her, not looking up from the skillet that she’d put back on the heat.

“You’re beautiful.”

“Please don’t turn into your father. I can’t handle all that ‘Charming’ mentality,” she stated before asking, “Do you think that Coraline is okay in Camden?”

“She’s a big girl, Regina. She can take care of herself. If Belle and Red really taught her how to fight, then I feel sorry for Will if she tries anything. But, I know Will. She won’t. She is sorry. She wants to apologize and talk to her. She couldn’t find Storybrooke.”

“Did you give Coraline the scroll to get back in?”

“Don’t need to,” Emma stated.

“Why not?”

“She’s not affected by the curse like we are. She went to Boston on her own. She has never been under the Dark Curse so, her being a magical being, she can come and go as she wishes. Plus, she is like me in one regard,” Emma told her.

“Yes, and what is that, Dear?” Regina asked looking up into her burning green eyes.

“She is the product of True Love.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Regina questioned, pulling the skillet off the stove and setting it on a trivet, leaning against the back of the island and staring at Emma.

“She can break any Curse.”

“Except the Blackness,” Regina added.

“We don’t know what the Blackness is. We don’t even know if it is a curse. We know that it is a movement and some sort of identity that she has fought. But, we don’t know what caused it.”

“I have an idea.”

“Gonna share it?”

“Me,” Regina said with a hint of regret and resolution.

“What do you mean you?”

“I think I cause it.”

“Regina that isn’t possible, and do you know why?” Emma asked her.

Regina looked her skeptically, but hopefully at the same time. Her vein was popping on her forehead and Emma could see the tears threatening to fall in her eyes. She hopped off the bar stool and made her way around the counter to Regina. She circled her hips and held her close.

“Because Coraline would have told us if you had. In her story, you are always there when the Blackness attacks. Why would you have something your created attack you? You step out into the fray, fireballs blazing, trying to avenge my death. Does that sound like you are the one that would create the thing that would take away your happy ending?” Emma questioned her.

“No,” she mumbled into Emma’s shoulder.

“So, let’s stop that crazy train before it tries to leave the station. We are going to figure this out and we are going to stop it. But, I think first things first,” Emma said.

“Yeah, and what is that?” Regina asked, pulling back.

“We need to talk to Coraline.”

“About?” Regina inquired.

“How she plans on going back,” Emma replied.

“I am not sure that I want her to.”

“I know that, Regina, but this isn’t her timeline. She may be making some big changes and the Blackness may not come now. That would be ideal for all involved, but she needs to get back to her future. She doesn’t need to stay with us, especially if you are going to be pregnant with her soon. How would we deal with that? How would we have two daughters that are the same person that are twenty plus years apart?”

“We need to know what spell she used to get here,” Regina stated.

“Did she tell you anything about it?”

“She told me that I am the one that gave it to her.”

“How? You are dead, right? How would you give her a spell to come back here?”

“I don’t know, Emma. I have no clue. I’ve been searching my brain for answer that I can’t find. None of that make sense to me. I want to look at the journals that she brought back with her.”

“Didn’t Belle give them back to her the other day?” Emma asked.

“You said that she did with her phone, but I don’t want to go into her room.”

“Why not? This is your house. And, those journals are technically yours,” Emma stated.

“She needs to trust us.”

“Do you think that she doesn’t?”

“It isn’t that, Emma. I just don’t want to break her trust. She told me that she started writing in those journals, the ones that I didn’t finish. She kept track of her history in them too. I don’t want to invade her privacy by reading them. It isn’t fair to her,” Regina told her.

“Then don’t read those parts,” Emma offered.

“I wish it was really that simple,” Regina replied.

“Do you want me to get them?”

“No, I’ll wait for her to come back.”

“If you think that it’s best.”

“I do.”

“Alright, I’ll go get Henry from the station. Do you need anything while I out? I should only be gone for a few minutes. I’ll be right back. And, don’t worry. We’ll figure this out.”

“Emma?”

“Yeah?”

“Remember when I told you to keep telling me that?”

“Yeah, babe, I do.”

“Thank you.”

Emma gave her a kiss on her head. She squeezed her hand as she pulled away to leave. Before she completely let go, she leaned back over and kissed Regina on the lips.

“We’ll be right back. Everything will be okay. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Regina told her and watched with a questionable sadness. “I just hope that it is enough for you and for Coraline. Loving me has always been disastrous. But, gods help me, I love you, Emma and I’m going to fight like Hell to keep you.”

 

Will stood in front of the hotel’s bathroom’s mirror. She stared into her blue eyes and wondered what she was going to tell Coraline. She owed her truth, but how much should she really give her? Her life was complicated more so than anyone could think possible. She wasn’t who she said she was. She wasn’t from this realm, but she had been here the longest. She understood this world’s rules. She could live in them. But, Coraline was here but from her past at the same time. She didn’t know if she could really fathom the truth.

She’d already given Coraline the hotel and the room number. It would only be a matter of minutes before she was there. She started playing with the ring on her finger again. To stop herself from doing that, she reached forward and gripped the vanity tightly. She lowered her head and sighed. Her world was about to fall apart and there was nothing that she could do to stop it. Her head snapped up as soon as she heard the knock on the door. She looked into the mirror and she ran her hands over her hair smoothing it back down.

She turned and headed for the door. She shook her head and fluffed her hair out as she reached for the knob. She already knew that her hair would be a fiery red before she had the door open.

“Hello, Coraline. Please come in. Thank you for agreeing to this,” she said answering the door, before moving out of the way to let her.

She could see the fire in Coraline’s eyes. She knew that fire. It was the same as Regina’s.

“You made it sound important,” Coraline offered as she walked into the room.

“It is.”

“Well, I’m here. What is it that you had to see me so quickly? You’re the one that ran off and didn’t tell me why. You lied to me. I know that you did. You knew that I would figure it out. Hell, you knew that Emma would figure it out. So, I’ll ask you again. What is it that you need?”

“I need to apologize for that.”

“Apologize? You don’t think that it is a little late for that. I’m sorry. I’m angry with you. Do you think that I should just let it go?”

“No, but I want to explain myself.”

“Then start,” Coraline told her as she took a seat at the table in the corner.

“It is a complicated story and I don’t know where to really to begin. I know your mother. I’ve known her for a long time,” Will started.

“What?”

“I saw who your mother was back in Boston. I saw her thru the window before you did. She is the reason I ran. Like I said, I know your mother,” Will stated.

“How?”

“We met a long time ago in a land far, far away.”

“Spare me the theatrics. Just tell me your story. I’ll wait until you finish to render my judgment about this entire situation. Because, just like my other mother’s story, I am sure it is odd.”

“Not odd, just fantastic,” Will said.

 

_Will was pacing in her bedroom. She couldn’t believe that the King told her to stay back today. She should have been at Snow’s side, but she couldn’t disobey the King. He was truly her lord and master until Snow reached maturity. She was technically Snow’s Vulcannonian, but she still had to follow the law of the land. Snow was close enough to maturity, but it wasn’t enough._

_“Will?”_

_“Yes, my lady,” she replied giving the young Snow a deep bow as she entered her rooms._

_“Father has proposed to Regina and she has accepted.”_

_“Are you happy about this match, my young Princess?”_

_“I am. I am going to get another mother. She is pretty.”_

_“I wouldn’t know, my lady. I have yet to meet her. Is she coming to stay with us soon?”_

_“She is. She is coming with her mother to make the plans for the wedding. Father is sparing no expense for her. I can’t wait for her to get her. You must go riding with us,” Snow stated._

_“As you wish, Princess,” Will answered._

_“Are you not happy for me?”_

_“I am pleased when you are pleased, my dear Snow”_

_“I need to get her something as a gift. What should I get her? She is to be queen.”_

_“Whatever you think is best, your highness,” Will stated as she finally sat down._

_She could see the happiness radiating off the small wonder. She didn’t understand how someone so young could be that happy and that optimistic about everything. She was hardened by her teachings and upbringing in Vulcannon. She didn’t understand anything but defense and war. That is what she was bred for. It didn’t matter that she was a princess in her own right._

_“Wilhelmina?”_

_“Yes, your highness?”_

_“I think that you can call me Snow now.”_

_“If that is what you wish,” she replied._

_“You are a princess, too, Will. You are no less than me in the eyes of the court. Some even wonder about you calling me ‘Highness’.”_

_“Am I not to show you respect, Princess?”_

_“You are, but you are my equal.”_

_“You are my employer.”_

_“I am your charge. I know what you are as a Vulcannonian. I’ve asked Father about it. He explained it to me. He asked for you after Mother died. He was scared for me.”_

_“I know, Highness.”_

_“You have done your job well.”_

_“Not well enough,” Will muttered._

_“You are still angry with Father for not taking you that day.”_

_“What day would that be?” Will asked her._

_“You know what day. The day that Regina saved me from my horse. You are angry with him for not taking you with us. I can tell.”_

_“I am not angry with the king. It was his right to tell me to stay. He didn’t have anything to fear from the Duke. And, it seems that he gained a bride that day.”_

_“He did. He thinks she is pretty, too, like me. She will be a good mother for me.”_

_“I am sure that she will.”_

_“Will?”_

_“Yes, Highness?”_

_“Do you have to do anything that I tell you to do?”_

_“Yes, Highness, within reason,” Will answered her._

_“Meaning?”_

_“That I will do anything you ask as long as it doesn’t put you in danger or myself, unless putting myself in danger will protect you, save you, or keep you from getting harmed.”_

_“Good,” Snow stated as she smiled._

_“Why, Highness?”_

_“I have an idea. I’ll go speak with Father first about it. I may have need of you later. Will you still be here? Or, will you be down in the armory practicing?”_

_“I will be wherever you’d like me to be.”_

_“Then, wait for me here. I want to go watch you practice. I really like archery.”_

_“Then, I shall teach you what I can. Hopefully your aim is true. I would hate for you to hurt someone with your shot,” Will jested with her._

_“I would hope not,” Snow replied seriously._

_“Run along to your father, Highness. I will wait for you here. I teach you how to fire a bow. Every good princess should know how to defend themselves.”_

_“But, I thought that is what you were for,” Snow said innocently._

_“I won’t always be there for you, Highness,” Will told her._

 

“Wait a minute, you know Snow, too?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Okay…so how old are you?”

“In Earth years?”

“Sure,” Coraline stated.

“I honestly don’t know. I have been here for over forty years. I guess I have no idea how old I really am. I don’t age like normal people do.”

“Well, that much is obvious.”

“I meant that I don’t age like the people of Fairy Tale Land or the people here. I am from there, but I am Vulcannonian. We aren’t like Regina and Snow. I am not considered human, I guess.”

“Then what are you?” Coraline asked bewildered.

“I’m Vulcannonian.”

“That doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“You were never taught about us?”

“No.”

Will sighed. She took a seat on the edge of the bed. She looked down at the floor. She didn’t know how to explain what she really was to Coraline without spooking her.

“You’re Regina’s daughter. Do you have powers like she does? Can you do magic?” Will asked.

“Yes.”

“Can you do it here?”

“Here?”

“Not being in the Enchanted Forest. Here. Right now. Could you conjure something?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t tried. Is there something that you want me to do?”

“Fire.”

“What is your obsession with fire?” Coraline asked remembering her laughing about fireballs.

“I want to show you something that I promise you have never seen before.”

“Okay.”

Will stood up und crossed the room to the table. She stood before Coraline and looked down into her soulful brown eyes. She sighed again. She reached down and pulled Coraline up. She had her stand right in front of her. She held her hand and pulled one of them up to her heart.

“You can control your fire? I don’t want to burn down the room. I just need you to see this. If you can’t. It can wait. But, you really need to understand what a Vulcannonian is,” Will stated.

“I can control it now thanks to Blue.”

“Ah, well, that fairy does have her uses after all.” Will mumbled.

“Okay, who don’t you know?” Coraline asked, only half-jokingly.

“You.” she answered.

Coraline laughed. She knew that much wasn’t true, but in a sense, it was. They’d slept together. They really didn’t know each other beyond that. They hadn’t had time to learn anything about each other. Coraline had run as soon as she saw Regina.

“I need you to trust me for a moment.”

“I’ll try.”

“I want you to make your hand fire. It doesn’t have to be a fire ball, but just your hand. Can you do that?”

“Yes…”

Coraline pulled her hand back from Will. She concentrated hard and her hand lit on fire. She was amazed at the control that she possessed outside of Storybrooke. It didn’t make sense to her for a minute because there was no magic in rest of the world, or so she had been taught. She closed her hand and opened it reflexively as she stared at the flames.

“Now, this is the trust part.”

“Okay...”

“Burn me.”

Coraline pulled her hand back, amazed and disgusted at the same time. She almost extinguished the fire, but she didn’t. She wanted Will to explain this madness to her.

“Excuse me?”

“Just do it,” Will commanded.

“I’ll hurt you.”

“No, you really won’t.”

Coraline looked at her seriously. She could see the conviction in Will’s sapphire eyes. They were burning with a strange fire. Coraline wasn’t sure if she should be afraid or except it. She didn’t have time to contemplate it further than that because Will reached out and grabbed her burning hand. She put the fiery hand against her chest and held it firmly to the shirt she was wearing.

Coraline’s eyes got huge. The shirt burned away from her hand, but Will didn’t scream in agony she just smirked at Coraline as she tried to pull her hand away. Will just held it tighter to her chest. Coraline suddenly felt skin beneath the fire. It was warm and soft. She felt it give way and melt around her fingers. It was a sickening feeling and then she felt something pulsing in her hands. She realized that it was Will’s heart. She was holding Will’s heart in her fiery hand.

“How?”

“I am Vulcannonian.”

“That doesn’t tell me shit.”

“We are hard to kill.”

“Well, you think,” Coraline sassed.

“You can let go if you wish or pull it out. The choice is yours. I am fine, Coraline.”

Coraline released the heart slowly. She’d never taken a heart and she wasn’t going to start with Will’s, no matter how much she hurt her. She pulled her hand out at Will’s wounded chest with a deliberate slowness. She felt the wet pop of blood and tissue as she finally exited the cavity.

She looked up into Will’s eyes. They were steadfast. There was no sign of pain or suffering. There was no hint that she had done anything to her. Coraline was flabbergasted.  
She tried to take a step back and fell into the chair. Will reached out for her reflexively. She had to make herself not pull away as Will touched her. She couldn’t think. She didn’t understand what was going on. There wasn’t any possible thing that could with stand fire like that.

“I told you, Coraline. I am Vulcannonian. We are very hard to kill.”

“But...I had...the fire…your heart…”

“It is fine. It is still beating strongly. Look at me, Coraline. Do I look injured?” Will asked her.

Coraline looked at the marred flesh. It was healing itself. She watched it mending. She gasped and reached out. Will actually grabbed her hand and held it to her chest as she slowly sank to her knees. Coraline couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The marred and burnt flesh was completely healed. It was slightly pink but there was no indication that she had ever been burnt at all. The only thing that would show any evidence of what just happened was her shirt.

“How?”

“I told you: I am Vulcannonian.”

“But…magic?”

“It is in our blood.”

“What are you?”

“I am Vulcannonian.”

“No, I mean...do you have magic? Can you do anything else? Just how? Why?”

“As to why, my people have always been able to do that. Do I have magic? Not in the sense that you do. I cannot conjure things. I can do simple spells and glammars but that is really it. That is about the extent of what I can do, besides the not dying thing. That is why I haven’t aged in a long time. That is why I don’t know how old I really am”

“Wait, you can’t die?” Coraline asked her, falling a little more into the chair.

“It is extremely hard to kill a Vulcannonian. I am not saying that it can’t be done, but it is really hard. We can’t even kill each other. There has to be a choice in the matter, but that is all superstition I believe. The only thing that I have ever seen kill a Vulcannonian is hexed virus created by the darkest soul of the Enchanted Forest. Thankfully, I was never infected.”

“A hexed virus?”

“Yes, it is virus that is made purely from spells and directed a single species. It can’t transfer or mutate like viruses do in this realm. As far as I know, there is no known cure for it. Many Vulcannonians fled the Enchanted Forest for this realm when the outbreak happened. I tried to help. I tried to find a cure, but I couldn’t.”

“Wait, when did this happen?”

“About the time that Leopold married Regina, I took my leave with the King’s condolences.”

“Condolences?”

“My brother Rojan Fajro was one of the first to succumb to the ravages of the virus,” Will stated.

“You were close?”

“We were inseparable until I went to work for Leopold.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It isn’t your fault he is dead, Coraline. Do not apologize for it. I was too late to save him. I couldn’t make a deal fast enough with anyone to save him. Father was too distraught to do anything after he died. He didn’t even care that I was delaying my return to Leopold and Snow. Normally he would have taken me back myself. He was beside himself in grief.”

“I understand that.”

“No one in Vulcannon had died for centuries. There wasn’t a reason for it. Father couldn’t explain it. He gave me Rojan’s cloak and bid me wear it in remembrance. He didn’t want me to forget who and what I was. It was shortly after this that I realize that my brother’s wife died. My Father in his grief sent those who weren’t infected to the Forest. He figured that the sorceresses and wizards would be able to help our people. No one made it back with a cure.”

“And your Father?” Coraline asked.

“I received word at the Winter Palace in the Winterlands a few months later that he was dead. He gave into his grief. He contracted the virus and didn’t bother to try to fight it. He sent one last raven to me with his dying words,” Will told her with tears in his eyes.

“What were they?”

“Seek out the darkness and find salvation. Find the light and defend it. Love will come to you in a mixture of pain and softness. When you have it, never let it go. Never forget you are a Vulcannonian. We will rise again.”

Coraline reached out and took her hand. She could see the pain in her eyes. She would give her a moment and the she would press her about Regina. She needed to know more.

“That still doesn’t explain how you know my mother,” Coraline stated after several minutes.

“I was a wedding present.”

“A what?”

“I was giving to Queen Regina as a wedding present.”

“By who?”

“Snow.”

 

Ruby sat on the floor in front her couch in her apartment. Belle was seated on the couch and surrounded by books that she’d brought from the library. She was glad that Ruby didn’t say anything when she’d come over just after the dinner rush at the diner. Ruby just let her in the apartment and had gone back down to the diner to help Granny close up for the night.

Ruby came back some time later. She’d grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses. Without even looking up, Belle had taken the offered glass of wine and continued to read. Ruby sat down on the floor in front of her trying to figure out what Belle was so interested in.

“Okay, I give up. What language is this? And can you even read it?” Ruby asked.

“It is Vulcannonian and yes, I can read it.”

“Then, what is it?”

“These are books on Vulcannonian lore. That book there,” Belle said pointing. “That is a book on the royal houses of Vulcannon. Those documents in front of you are the legal papers concerning Pyroxes’s daughter.”

“Legal papers? Why the hell would his daughter need legal papers? She was in the Forest with us, right? So, what’s the point of legal papers?” Ruby questioned holding the documents.

“Yes, she was in the Enchanted Forest with us. She is actually a few hundred years older than us if the Vulcannonian censuses are to be believed. She was the only daughter of King Pyroxes of Vulcannon and as such she was a princess.”

“Okay, but that still doesn’t explain the papers, Belle. Why would a princess need legal documents? What was she trying to prove?”

“You aren’t from a royal family and I am sure that Snow never talked about it, but do you know anything about the Vulcannonians?”

“Umm…no.”

“Well, Vulcannonians were a warrior type being. They lived on the islands the east of the kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest. Their islands were merely habitable volcanoes which is why no one ever tried to conquer them, besides their proceeding reputations.”

“Meaning?”

“Vulcannonians can’t die.”

“They are immortal?”

“Yes, but they were not a populace breed. They were a small race and the royal house was only around five to six strong. Pyroxes didn’t need to worry about a successor. He just needed to maintain their existence. Many kings sought Pyroxes’ favor in battle. Leopold was no stranger to him. It seems that they had a mutual understanding and traded with each other.”

“Okay, but what does that have to do with Snow and Regina?”

“It seems that during negotiations with Pyroxes Leopold asked for a favor. He had just lost Ava and wanted to make sure that his daughter was cared for and protected. Pyroxes took pity on the man because he too had lost his wife centuries before and he was still reeling from the pain. He sent a very young looking but just a deadly Wilhelmina to live with Snow. She would act like a hand maiden, but would be a secret knight.”

“Wilhelmina?”

“Pyroxes’ own daughter. He sent her because she was still considered young. She could pass for a teenager, but she was wise beyond her years. She was a skilled negotiator and archer. She was deadly with any blade she could get her hands on. She could blend in and not be seen even if she was right in front of you. She could protect Snow without Snow ever knowing who she really was,” Belle told her.

“But?”

“Snow figured out that there was something special about her.”

“How do you know that?”

“She got Wilhelmina to teach her how to shoot a bow. And, shortly after Leopold and Regina married, she convinced Leopold to give Wilhelmina to Regina. Those papers are the official documents in Vulcannonian transferring her ownership from Snow to Regina.”

“Wait, what? You said ownership? What kind of ownership?”

“Hand me the papers,” Belle stated reaching out for the parchments.

Ruby handed her the parchments and leaned back into the couch again. She grabbed her glass of wine from her coffee table and took a swig before turning back to look up at Belle. She didn’t understand what any of it meant, but she knew that Belle did.

Belle moved the books around her on the couch. She gathered most of them up and put them on the coffee table. As she sat back on the couch and got comfortable again, she reached out for her wine glass and finished it. She grabbed the papers in one hand and patted the couch next to her with the other. Ruby wasted no time joining her on the couch.

“The Vulcannonians aligned with a lot of the royal houses during the Ogre Wars. They really were the only defense that could with stand the ogres. And, they were damn good shots. Leopold had acquired a few Vulcannonians to help train his armies. They weren’t royal, but they were strong and loyal to both Leopold and Pyroxes.”

“Makes sense.”

“Well, Pyroxes would make the royal families sign decrees or proclamations when it concerned the matters of Vulcannonians being assigned to them. In an essence, they were given like gifts and could be taken back at a moment’s notice. Pyroxes was a hard negotiator and he didn’t gift his people lightly. He hated politics, but he never took sides. All were equal in his eyes.”

“So Leopold acquired his daughter?”

“For Snow and her protection, yes, he did. It seems that in the original proclamation for the fate of Wilhelmina, she was to be a hand maiden for the Princess Snow White. Her duties were to be a playmate, protector, and teacher. Pyroxes hoped that it would temper Wilhelmina’s hot blood and she would learn to deal in politics as it was a necessary evil for royalty.”

“Leopold would train her with Snow’s help to be a ‘Princess’ and she in turn would protect Snow from anything and everything?”

“Exactly. But, Vulcannonians aren’t known to spread their lore much past the contracts of servitude. Both, Snow and Leopold signed for Snow because she wasn’t at the age of maturity and Wilhelmina signed for herself. If she hadn’t, there would have been no deal.”

“And the other paper?” Ruby asked.

“It is signed by Wilhelmina and Regina.”

“Snow gave her to Regina?”

“Yes, it makes sense. The proclamation states: Princess Snow gives her Vulcannonian guard to the Queen Regina as a wedding present so that she may live and thrive upon the throne. There seems to be some other bylaws written but they are mainly for the Vulcannonian, not the recipient. I doubt that Regina could even read the proclamation when she signed it.”

“Why do you say that?”

“It is dated just weeks after Daniel’s death and her marriage to Leopold. The wedding was rushed at Cora’s insistence. Regina must have been in a fog because no matter how much pain she was in, I doubt that she would have accepted a slave warrior,” Belle added.

“Slave warrior?”

Belle put down the parchments and looked over at Ruby. She didn’t know how else to tell her what she was about to say, but she knew that she needed to tell someone. She doubted that Regina ever bothered to look at the parchment again after she signed it and made Wilhelmina hers to do with as she pleased.

“The bylaws of a contract with a Vulcannonian,” Belle stated.

“Are what exactly?”

“They are subject to the wrath and jubilation of their owner or whom they serve, depending on the wording. They cannot disobey unless it would injure the owner. They are to assist, protect and defend the owner without any regard to their own safety or the safety of others as long as the owner is well. The live to serve until their…and I can’t make out this word…comes to them. On that day, they will ask to be freed from their bonds so that they can create the bond of ….again this terminology I don’t know…. If they are not released by their owner, they are allowed to disobey and call upon the Courts of Vulcannon to free them from their contract. Once they are freed, they will still have the choice to serve. They will have earned their choice and their right to do so as is custom with Vulcannonian law. Freed Vulcannonians will report back to Pyroxes of their status so new contracts can be made if so desired by all parties involved.”

“Umm, what the hell does that mean?”

“I can’t figure it out. One book states that Vulcannonians mate for life and that once they find their mate, no one can pull them apart. Others state that their destinies await them and they must find it. It is all very cryptic except the endings. They are all the same, even on the contract.”

“How so?” Ruby asked looking at the papers and books in Belle’s lap.

“Here,” Belle pointed to a book and ran her finger across the page.

Red tried to follow it, but all she saw was gibberish and squiggles. She continued to look intently at the book though while Belle ran her finger across the page, like some sort of magic would make words appear that she understood. Finally Belle’s finger came to a stop and she turned her head to look into her blue eyes with her hazel.

“Freed Vulcannonians…freed isn’t really the right word, but…once they have selected their mate, depending on what they are, they have the option of aging or dying. It is a choice. Just like their option to feel pain when wounded. They can choose to follow their owner into death if there is no way out that will not cause harm to the owner. In that situation, they will kill their owner and then give up their life force.”

“Choosing to die?”

“I know.”

“How do you choose to die?”

“I don’t know. It appears that there is some sort of ritual they perform and their life is drained from their bodies. It is another reason why many people don’t know the lore of the Vulcannonians. I think it parallels the selection process of the Alphas in a pack of Weres.”

“What does that mean?” Red asked, bristling at the thought.

“Alphas don’t always seek out another Alpha. They tend to find each other, even when they don’t have a pack. And, wolves tend to usually mate for life. If Vulcannonians are the same way, then once a Vulcannonian finds their mate…”

“They are freed from their contracts.”

“And, if their mate dies…”

“They can choose to die with them to stay together or live on without them and be alone.”

“I believe so,” Belle replied.

“What would you do?” Red asked her.

“I guess it depended on who my Vulcannonian was,” Belle stated.

“Would you die for them?” Ruby questioned her seriously.

“I guess it depended on how much I truly loved them. I would have died for my mother, but instead she died for me. Would I die for Rumple? I guess I don’t really have an answer for that, because we all know that he can’t die without someone plunging the dagger into his heart. I don’t want his power. I never did. I just wanted him to see that love could make him a better man,” Belle told her.

“He’s addicted to power,” Ruby added.

“I know. I’ve always known that, but I guess I really didn’t want to see it. I wanted to believe that he could change. Regina changed. You’ve changed. We’ve all learned to deal with the darkness inside of us and still we seek the light and to do what is right. Rumple…he just seeks more power because he believes that he needs it to be strong.”

“Why?”

“Because he is afraid of being a coward like his father.”

“But, isn’t this insane quest for more magic and power just as cowardly?”

“Yes, it is a shame that he doesn’t see that. Baelfire did and that is why he ran away. I think that Rumple will never learn from his mistakes or what he has lost.”

“What has he actually lost?”

“His son, twice…his first wife, Melah…his father, twice…Cora…Regina…and me.”


	21. Chapter 21

Emma stared at her cell phone as she beeped with a message. She looked at the time and then the text. She was happy that Coraline finally decided to let them know that she was okay. She knew that she should have been more worried, but she figured that Coraline was with Will and Will would take care of her. The text that she has gotten earlier in the evening stated that she’d found Will and they were going to talk. This one stated that she’d be home in the morning and that she would want to see the both of them for lunch, preferably somewhere private.

“Everything okay?” Regina asked, rolling over in the bed.

“Yeah, she’s good. She’d decided to stay the night and was just letting me know. She’ll be back in the morning. She didn’t want us to worry,” Emma told her.

“Emma…”

“What’s wrong, Regina?”

“I’m just wondering about your friend Will.”

“What about her?”

“How well do you know her?”

“Well enough, Regina. What is it, really? Something has your on edge?”

“It’s nothing,” Regina stated.

Emma let her snuggle closer, still not believing that the mayor was a cuddler. She didn’t know how to push Regina without making her mad, but she could tell that there was something that she wasn’t telling her. She was resolved to get it out of her.

“Gina, what is it?”

“Sheriff, what did I say about calling me that?”

“Then tell me what’s wrong, or I call you that and other sweet nicknames until you do.”

“I think I know her,” Regina stated quickly.

“What do you mean?”

“I think I know who Will is,” Regina told her.

“Regina, of course you do. She is my friend and a fellow bounty hunter. I am sure that if you go back and look through the file that you got on my from Sidney that you will see a picture or two of us together. She is from England. She isn’t from Boston. She isn’t from the Enchanted Forest. She is a good ol’ Earthling that happens to care for our daughter,” Emma told her.

“It is irrational, I know.”

“Then don’t worry about it,” Emma stated, kissing her behind the ear.

“Emma…”

“What?”

“What are you doing?” she asked huskily.

“Trying to make you not worry,” Emma told her as she continued to kiss her down the column of her throat.

“Emma…”

“Yes, my Queen?”

Regina shuttered at her words. She’d never felt more like a queen than she did when she was with Emma. She couldn’t believe that it had only been a few weeks since they acknowledged their common admiration for each other. She was still afraid to call it love completely. She didn’t want to lose Emma like she had everything else. She knew that she would eventually if they didn’t stop the coming Blackness. Coraline had told them as much. Emma dies. 

“Regina…stop thinking,” Emma told her.

To prove her point, she grabbed Regina’s chin with her fingers and turn her head. She made Regina look her in the eye. There was a fire in her azure eyes at they met her chestnut orbs. Regina sighed and licked her lips, causing Emma’s eyes to drop to her mouth. It didn’t take very long before her mouth followed the decent of her eyes and she kissed her.

It was a kiss meant to make her forget everything, even her name, except the feelings that Emma was extracting from her body. When her tongue entered the kiss, Regina was lost. She gave in to everything that Emma was doing. She wanted the bliss. She wanted the passion. She wanted Emma, preferably naked and wanton, but she knew how to get them both there.

Regina let her dominate the kiss for a while until she’d had enough. She was a queen and she deserved this. She deserved Emma’s love, but at that moment, she didn’t want sweet and soft. She wanted hard and rough. She bit down on Emma’s lip and sucked it into her mouth. She could taste the slight tang and then she realize how hard she’d bitten.

Emma didn’t flinch. She went with it. Her body molded itself to Regina’s and again, she found her neck. She peppered it with kisses, small bites and her tongue. She felt Regina move beneath her, but she didn’t realize what Regina was actually doing.

She moved one leg and wrapped over Emma’s, securing her body to her own. Her other leg she moved up on the bed until her foot was flat and she could push off with leverage. She circled her arms around her. As soon as she had her arms tucked in the small of Emma’s back, she pushed up with her foot, threw her body weight in the opposite direction and rolled them over until she was on top. 

Emma just smiled up at her as soon as her back was on the satin sheets. She reached up and ran her hands through Regina’s hair. She would never get enough of touching the enchantress before her and she was perfectly okay with that. 

Regina was getting wet. She was willing her body not to grind against Emma, but Emma wasn’t going to let get away with it. She raised her leg up just enough that her thigh was brushing across Regina’s crotch. She shot forward and away from her legs.

“Not yet, Princess,” Regina almost hissed.

Emma fidgeted restlessly underneath her. She wanted more contact. Regina can tell what Emma wants but she wants to take her time and relish in the woman beneath her. Every encounter that they have shared has been Emma pleasuring her. She wanted to show Emma a thing or two.

She quickly pinned Emma’s hands above her head. Knowing that Emma is loves to touch her, she decides to take that away from her. She quickly conjures her handcuffs and cuffs her hands to the headboard. Emma didn’t realize what was happening until it was too late.

“Regina?”

“Relax, Princess. I am not going to leave you here like this. I just want you to lay back and feel. This is about you. I want you to feel everything that you make me feel. I want you to know what it feels like when you touch me.”

“I know what it feels like, Baby. It feels good. I love the way you feel.”

“No, Emma, I want you to feel this,” Regina told her as she slowly pushed up her tank top to reveal the taught flesh on her abs.

She slowly and deliberately ran her nails back down the skin, causing red lines to appear and Emma to hiss at the sensation. She looked to her face and watched Emma’s expressions. She wanted to make sure that she wasn’t hurting her and that Emma liked what she was doing. Emma just smiled up at her, licking her lips like she was dreaming of Regina’s taste. 

Damn, she is insatiable, Regina thought to herself. She couldn’t fault Emma though. The more and more that she got to touch Emma, the more and more she wanted to continue to do so. 

She ran her hands back up Emma’s torso. She felt her flesh squirming beneath her fingers and palms. She didn’t stop until she was on her bra. Her desire overwhelmed her. She wanted to see Emma naked, but realized too late that she would be able to full undress her now that she was cuffed. She made a noise of discontent and grabbed at Emma’s tank.  
The fabric tore in two. Emma gasped and then moaned, as Regina shredded the material that she was once wearing. Once the offending white tank top was gone, Regina worked on the bra. She didn’t tear it off her like she wanted. Instead, she pulled it up her arms and balled as best she could into Emma’s hands.

“Don’t let go,” Regina commanded her.

“Yes, my Queen,” Emma replied.

Regina looked up at her eyes, only to find that there was very little blue left. There were so blown with lust and desire that Regina had a hard time looking away from them. She leaned forward and kissed her, hard. Their mutual desire was hard to hide. And, the longer that Regina was around Emma, the more she didn’t care to hide it.

She felt Emma pull on her arms. She knew that Emma was slightly out of it from her lustful haze, but she also knew that she wanted to touch Regina and badly. She gave her a wickedly carnal grin before she leaned down to kiss her throat again. 

Emma mewed at the contact. She knew that Regina could make her come with just her touch if she so desired. The way that Regina played her body was like that of a master instrumentalist. She made Emma make sounds that she didn’t know she could and loved her in ways Emma had never thought of. She didn’t mind it. She enjoyed it because she knew that Regina was hers.

She pulled on the skin above her pulse point and sucked it in. She was going to mark her and let everyone know that Emma was hers. It was a simple gesture, but for Regina it spoke volumes. It alluded to her past as the Evil Queen, her novelty as a lover, and that Emma chose her, too. When she was happy with the amount of time and the darkness of the developing bruise, she let the skin go with a pop.

Her hands were everywhere on Emma. She couldn’t touch her enough. She loved the way Emma’s body responded to her touch. She couldn’t help but melting every time she heard Emma’s pent up breath be released. She watched her muscle strain and pull as she delicately touched her. There was a softness in her touch and a want to worship the Savior’s body.

“Regina…”

“Yes, Princess?” she asked coyly.

“Please…”

“Already begging, Dear? I haven’t even really begun. My, my, Princess, eager?”

“I want to touch you,” she managed to breath out between pants.

Regina’s hands didn’t let up, constantly touching, constantly brushing, but never giving Emma anything to hold on to long enough. She looked up into Emma’s eyes and held them. She knew what Emma needed. Her body was screaming for a release, but Regina wanted to prolong it. Emma moaned and writhed, but she still didn’t give in.

“Regina….please….”

The second time she begged, Regina decided to give her something…more. She waved on hand over her White Knight’s lower body and Emma’s clothes were gone. She heard more than she felt the sharp intake of breath from Emma as her hands found her now bare hips. She wouldn’t let go of Emma’s gaze. She held it, pinning Emma in that position as her hands worked their way down. 

She studied the blue green sliver of irises. She memorized how her pupils contracted and blew up with each stroke of her hands. She watched the spell she was casting with their bodies and she enjoyed every delicious second of it. She never knew that it could be this pleasurable to take someone, especially like this, being in love with them.

Her hand ghosted down over Emma’s hip to her thigh. There was a sharp in-take of breath and a small buck. Emma jerked against the cuffs and the headboard. She pulled and pulled, silently hoping that she would break the slate in the headboard. She wanted her hands on Regina’s sinfully exquisite body. 

She almost succeeded in breaking the board when suddenly Regina filled her to the hilt with two fingers. There was no preamble. There was no warning. There was just complete fulfillment and it was glorious. 

A scream tore through Emma’s throat as she felt Regina start to move her fingers inside her. Then, she started a brutal pace of pounding her mound. Another scream of pleasure followed the second one, as Regina finally broke her gaze to bite at a nipple. The scream was followed by a sharp inhalation and a hissed out breath. Regina released the breast and returned her eyes to hers. The question she couldn’t voice burning in emotion in her mahogany eyes.

“No, Regina, you didn’t hurt me…”

“I’m sorry…”

“It just surprised me...”

“…Should have warned you that I can be a little rough…”

“There is nothing wrong with that…”

“…Didn’t mean to hurt you…” Regina told her still moving her fingers below.

“…Don’t stop…Please…Regina…”

Emma’s body bucked up off the bed. Her arms ached at the unusual sensation due to their location. Her body strained for more contact and Regina denied it. She held herself near, but wouldn’t allow Emma full contact. She knew that she was desperately craving it.

“Regina….please…more…”

Regina just smiled at her and wiggled her fingers. Emma’s body suddenly felt fuller. She didn’t think it was possible, and she’d never honestly thought about have “magical” sex with Regina. She knew that the older woman was using magic now to fill her. 

“Oh, God…”

“Your majesty will do,” Regina teased her, pumping inside her harder.

“Re….re….re…GINA!!!” Emma shouted from somewhere deep within as her body exploded.

Regina leaned over and decided to kiss her. She thrust her tongue inside her mouth and tasted everything. She molded her body to hers in that moment and pushed her down as each buck threatened to lift the both completely off the bed. She never stopped moving her fingers, but she pulled back just enough to catch that leathery spot. Two slow and deep strokes against it were all it took to make her climax again.

Emma blinked. She sucked in air like she was drowning. She tried to pull on the headboard again, but her strength and sated body failed her in the attempt. She couldn’t find any leverage, either. Her heart was ready to burst and she wanted her again. She didn’t understand it. She had never come that much before, with any lover, and within minutes, Regina had pulled three large orgasms from her body with just her stroke.

“No…tongue…fingers...more…please….” Emma tried to pull together a coherent thought. 

Regina stilled her fingers. She pulled them out of the wetness that she had created. She looked at the essence on her hand and brought it to her mouth. She knew that Emma tasted good, but this was like ambrosia for her. She wanted more. She didn’t care that Emma might actually pass out. It actually gave her something to strive for. She wanted to make Emma feel so much that she couldn’t contain her own consciousness anymore. 

In a moment of pure inspiration, Regina kissed her way down Emma’s torso. She stopped around her hips and bit slightly. She chuckled as Emma started moving trying to get her lips on her core. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to keep Emma still with as aroused as she was. So in another inspirational moment, she conjured some silk ties at the end of the bed. She called them to her hands and elegantly tied them to Emma’s ankles. Once she was bound, Regina sat back on her heels and admired her naked master piece.

“Regina?”

“Yes, Sheriff?” she replied, cocking her eyebrow at Emma.

“What are you doing?”

“Enjoying my work,” she answered.

“Please….”

“What do you want, Princess?”

“You!”

“Is that all?” Regina asked, still teasing.

Her hands found Emma’s knees. She slowly started stroking up her legs, letting her thumbs wonder close but never getting close enough. Emma whimpered and growled in hopes that it would spur Regina forward. It didn’t. Regina decided to take her time in admiring her body. She wanted to what spots caused Emma to cry out, which spots caused her to whimper, and which spots caused her to move. 

She raked her eyes over the pale flesh before her, drinking up every inch of Emma’s toned, lithe form. Emma felt like she was actually touching her with her eyes. She pulled on the cuffs and pulled with her legs. She was desperately searching for some contact, but Regina wouldn’t give it to her. She was enjoying herself too much.

Finally, Regina’s need to touch her and claim Emma’s body came over Regina. She leaned forward and blew against her wet core. Emma wiggled and giggled. 

“That makes you laugh?” 

“It is cold and tickles,” Emma answered.

“What about this?” Regina asked, slightly raking her nails, softly, down her legs.

“That too,” Emma stated pulling hard at her restraints. 

“Hmmm…” Regina replied as she got closer to Emma’s center. 

“Please…majesty…take me…” Emma stated in choked breaths.

“Since you ask so nicely,” Regina replied, leaning into Emma more.

Her lips closed around her clit and she sucked. Emma pulled on the restraints as much as her muscles and they would let her. Her ass came off the bed. Regina reached up and grasped a breast with her hand. She dug her fingers into the flesh there and forced Emma back on the bed.

When Emma finally settled, Regina moved her lips down. She devoured every inch of her, licking, tasting, and humming. Each new touch or sensation was causing Emma to buck and move as much as Regina would let her between the restraints and the hand grasping her breast.

She would let Emma get close and then she would pull back. She wanted this to last. She wanted her positively sated and quivering when she finally let Emma come. 

“Re…gina?”

She looked up Emma’s torso and met her emerald eyes. The look of need and desperation caused her to let go of her prize in her mouth and pull back. She sat her glistening chin on the top of Emma’s mound and stared up at her.

“Yes, Princess?”

“Please…”

“Please what, Emma?”

“Please…”

“What is it that you need?” Regina asked, already knowing the answer.

“Please…”

“Use your words, Princess,” she teased.

“Can I please come, your majesty?” Emma managed to say with strength she didn’t know she still had at that moment.

Regina knew she was so close that if she gave her permission she might just come at her command. As much as that would delight her, Regina didn’t want that. She wanted to taste it. 

“You will wait until I allow it,” Regina told her as she resumed her position.

She flicked her tongue against Emma’s clit. She was rewarded with a groan that turned in a deep whimper. She knew that Emma would be sore. She knew that Emma needed it, so she decided to relent just a little. She let go of her clit with her lips just long enough to say four words.

“Come for me, Emma.”

And, she did. Regina savored every drop. She moaned as Emma writhed under her tongue.

“Stop…stop…please….”

“Too much, Dear?”

“Yes…”

“But, I had so many other plans for you tonight,” Regina stated teasingly.

“It’ll…it’ll…have to…have to…wait,” she panted.

“As you wish, Dear.”

“You like me like this, don’t you?” Emma asked after catching her breath.

“Like what, Sheriff?”

“On my back, splayed open, and at your mercy,” she replied.

“Only if you do, too, Princess,” Regina stated as she climbed up Emma’s body and cocked an eyebrow as she smirked.

“I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy it. That was…. I don’t even have words for that,” Emma said.

“I’ve made the sheriff speechless.”

“Oh, stop…now let me go.”

“Oh and why would I want to do that, Dear.”

“Because you want me to take you now,” Emma stated emphatically.

Regina smiled down at her and waved her hands. The cuffs unlocked. The silk strands untied themselves. Regina was now completely naked.

“And, how shall you take me?” 

“However Her Majesty requires?”

Regina chuckled slightly and leaned down for a kiss. Her arms ran up Emma’s to her wrists. She didn’t need to see her own hands glow with a slight reddish purple tint as she eased the pain in Emma’s hands. As the pain subsided, Emma curled her fingers into Regina’s and held her hands there. She craved the contact of her skin against her body and this way she could kiss Regina and keep her in place.

Emma finally released her hands, but not her mouth. She thrust her tongue making Regina part her lips in a feral moan. Emma could taste herself on Regina’s tongue and lips. She didn’t know why that made her wet all over again, but she could feel her core filling with delicious need.

“And, what if my proclivities aren’t something that you are willing to do?” Regina asked.

“It is my duty to please the Queen. You are my Queen. What do you require?”

Regina sat back on Emma’s hips and stared down at her. There were so many things that she could say or do in that moment, but she held her tongue. And, she knew why. The main reason was she scared of her past and what doing something that she used to do might cause her to do in the here and now. She’d put the Evil Queen to rest, so to speak, but she was afraid that some of her more risqué adventures would cause more harm than good.

Emma watched her. She could tell that Regina was really weighing her options. But, she had no true idea what Regina could be thinking of that would be so bad that she couldn’t voice it. She wondered what sort of kink Regina was really into. She’d gotten firsthand knowledge of some light bondage, but Emma could only guess how much deeper it could go.

“You don’t know what you are saying,” Regina warned her, eyes black as coal with desire.

“I do.”

“Emma…” Regina warned again.

“What is it that you want me to do, Regina? Just ask me. If I am not comfortable, I’ll tell you.”

Regina just watched her. There was so much love shining in her eyes that Regina was overwhelmed. She couldn’t believe that Emma was really her happy ending. She did believe that she would have ever have a love like this with anyone. She wanted it with Robin, but it wasn’t really ever meant to be. Emma was everything she’d always wanted and more.   
Emma just lay there staring up into her beautiful mahogany eyes and waited for her answer. She could see Regina becoming overcome with emotion and to help her, Emma started running her hands over her hips in a silent gesture of love and comfort. The simplicity and softness of the gesture broke some of Regina’s walls and she began to cry.

“Don’t cry, Regina.”

“I can’t…”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Regina replied.

“Tell me what’s wrong, love?”

“I can’t…”

“Just try,” Emma suggested, not once taking her eyes from Regina’s.

“I don’t deserve your…”

“Stop. Just stop right there. I don’t even care what you thought you were going to say. You deserve a happy ending just like everyone else. The sooner you stop fighting it, the sooner we can have it, together,” Emma told her.

“Emma…”

“No, Regina. Just no. Now, I am going to love on you.”

“Emma…”

“Now, my Queen, what would you like?”

“Emma…”

“Shh…” Emma told her, reaching up and putting her fingers on Regina’s lips. “What do you need, love? Would you like my mouth? My fingers? Something more?”

Regina reached down and touched Emma’s cheek. The gesture was purely loving and soft. The importance of it wasn’t lost on Regina. She knew that she could soft with Emma. She could be free with her. Emma gave her an outlet that she hadn’t had since…Daniel and that scared her beyond her wildest imagination. She felt her love swelling inside her.

“Regina?” Emma asked, trying to bring her back from her thoughts.

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes?” Emma replied in question wondering where Regina was going to go with this.

Regina lay down on her body. She needed to feel the closeness of her skin. Emma immediately wrapped her hands around her body. Her fingers traced patterns on Regina’s back and she finally felt the brunette relax against her.

Emma felt a strange stirring in her stomach. She didn’t know why, but she needed to be inside Regina. She needed to make her feel the same passion that Regina had given her. Her libido spiked and she kissed Regina hard. 

Regina moaned into the kiss. Emma took that as permission to deepen the kiss. She didn’t know what Regina wanted, besides love, but she was going to give her the love that she knew how to give. She kissed Regina, again, nibbling on her bottom lip. She opened her mouth and Emma thrust her tongue inside. Regina immediately pushed her tongue into Emma’s mouth. They fought for the dominance of the kiss, neither one wanting to cede control. 

Emma felt Regina move against her. She took the chance to move their positions. She hooked her leg around Regina’s and flipped them. She looked down at Regina’s face and something moved inside her. She aligned herself with Regina and kissed her neck. She slowly kissed her from ear to shoulder, taking her time to nibble and bite. She wasn’t as forceful as Regina had been with her and she hadn’t marked her, either.

She knew that Regina like the tipping point between pleasure and pain, but she didn’t want to push her today. No, this time was all about pleasure. There first encounter had been to show Regina that she cared, and all it did was make Emma want more of her. The adventures in bed had been standard by Emma’s definitions because she didn’t want to push Regina. She knew that Regina would freak out so she was letting things between them go at her pace. Regina knew she was doing this, and in her own way, thanked Emma. Tonight’s activities being one of the ways she was thanking her. 

Regina had pushed Emma tonight, to see how far she would let Regina go. The light bondage had been an amusing and quick kinky twist into what Regina like when she had sex. But, she knew Emma was different. Emma was her True Love. She didn’t need the kink to get off with her. She just needed Emma, and she hoped that Emma understood that.

“God, Regina, you are so beautiful,” she mumbled as she continued to kiss her, making her way across her clavicle from one shoulder to the other.

She kissed up Regina’s shoulder to her other ear. When she got to that spot just behind her ear, she kissed it, tonguing it slightly and eliciting a moan. Emma bit down on her ear lobe and she felt Regina moving beneath her.

They could both feel the magic between them. It was palpable and thick. Emma had no idea what it meant, but she decided to go with it. She knew that when she made magic with Regina good things happened. She just assumed that good things were going to be now happening in the bed between them and that is all she wanted. 

Regina’s hands moved down Emma’s back and to her hips as she spread her legs further apart. This allowed Emma to mesh their cores together and start a slow grind. As their bodies moved against each other, Regina gasped. She felt something on Emma change and move. Her hands moved up Emma’s side and she pulled Emma’s head to look at her.

“Emma…”

“What is it?”

“Do you know what we are doing?”

“Umm…I thought it was obvious,” Emma questioned as she continued to grind against her.

“Do you not feel it?”

“Feel what?”

“The magic between us,” Regina stated.

“Regina, I’ve felt that for years,” Emma replied and leaned back down to take a nipple in her mouth, sucking it gently, lavishing it with her tongue before biting it and pulling back up.

Regina moaned and whimpered at the contact. She loved what Emma was doing to her body, but she wondered about what was happening between them. There was so much that she hadn’t studied about True Love and the fact that Coraline was born from it. She wasn’t afraid of it. She wanted it and she wanted it with Emma. It was in that moment that she realized that she loved Emma completely and would do anything for her.

She felt some stirrings between them and this time she knew that Emma felt it, too. Emma stopped kissing her to pull back and study her eyes. She was looking for answers from Regina to questions that she didn’t know she had until that moment. A slow and happy smile crossed her lips when she found all the love that they both had for each other reflected back at her.

Regina needed to touch her. She needed feel Emma, raw and powerful, inside her, around her, on her. She needed Emma more in that moment than she thought possible. She snuck on hand down from Emma’s hip to her stomach. She felt the tension knotting her muscles and she lightly scrapped her blunted nails over Emma’s porcelain skin.

“Regina….”

As her hand made it is way further south, Regina felt warmth gathering between them. She felt her own blood pooling, dragging all thought to the one spot that needed Emma’s touch. She wasn’t prepared for the sudden shift in Emma’s weight, but there was suddenly a delicious throbbing against her and it was pulsing. She wanted to touch Emma so badly that she continued moving downward until she had Emma in her hands.

They both gasped as Regina wrapped her fingers around Emma. And, that is when they both knew that something had happened. Emma held herself up somewhat and they both looked down their bodies. Regina moved her hand in disbelief. As she stroked Emma, her eyes closed and she relished in the feelings that Regina’s hand was causing.

Finally, Regina stopped and Emma managed to squeak out, “Is that…?”

“It would appear so, Dear.”

“But, how?”

“Magic?”

“Is this how…Coraline?”

“I don’t know, but it would seem that it could be possible,” Regina mused, still stroking her.

“God, Regina, I can’t think with you doing that.”

“Who said anything about you thinking right now?” Regina teased her.

“Do you want this?” Emma asked, still holding herself up while looking down her body in disbelief as Regina held her, touched her.

“I want you, Emma, more than I’ve wanted anything in my life.”

“I don’t know how this happened, but we can wait. We don’t have to do this. I don’t want you to fill pressured into anything. It’s just that…I…ah…” Emma tried to tell her, but 

Regina started stroking her harder making her forget what she was trying to say.

Regina leaned up and kissed her. There was a softness in her touch that Emma couldn’t understand. Her senses were on overload. Her body was on fire. And, Regina still hadn’t let her go, but was continually stroking her and moaning. Emma dropped her head and bent her elbows. She didn’t know how much longer she would be able to with stand Regina’s touch without coming again or how much longer she could hold herself up.

Regina grabbed her back with hand and pulled her back down. As Emma’s body moved forward, Regina guided her other hand until Emma was against her. Spreading her legs and wrapping them around Emma’s waist, she used her heels to push Emma home against her. She growled into Emma’s ear, which had falling beside her mouth. She turned her head slightly and bit down on Emma’s earlobe. When Emma gasped at the contact at her ear and then her body aligned with Regina’s perfectly, Regina surged her hips upwards, rocking into her.

“By all that is Holy, woman!” Emma screamed as Regina’s body swallowed her whole.

“Fuck me, Emma…”

Emma pulled up just enough to see her eyes. She knew what Regina wanted and she wanted to give it to her. Tonight, they would make Coraline…Remy…their daughter…true love together.

 

“Okay, okay…wait a minute.”

“What else do you want me to tell you?” Will asked her.

“So, my grandmother gave you to my mother as a wedding present and you were just okay with that? You didn’t care that you were property? Why?”

“That is what Vulcannonians did. We aligned ourselves with the royal families of the Enchanted Forest. It was a way that we could find purpose with our…unusually long lives. Sometimes one Vulcannonian would serve multiple masters, from father to son to son to daughter, and so on. It didn’t bother us because it was in our nature.”

“But Snow gave you to Regina.”

“I agreed to the transfer.”

“And had you not?” Will asked.

“It wouldn’t have happened.”

“You actually had a say in it?”

“Yes, we all did. We never entered into a contract without our consent. There was too much at stake for us and for those we are to protect,” Will told her.

“So what does that mean for you?”

“What do you mean?” Will asked her.

“If you were contractually attached to my mother, how did you leave?”

“I made a deal with the devil.”

“Gold…”

“Who?”

“I think you know him better as Rumpelstiltskin. In town everyone just calls him Rumple Gold. He is the king of deals. If you made a deal with the devil, I am going to assume that it was with him. Was it?” Coraline asked her.

“It was.”

“Was it worth the outcome?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why not?”

“Because I didn’t get what I was promised.”

“Which was what exactly?”

“I asked to be sent to a world without magic.”

“Why?”

“Because without magic…”

“You could be free?” Coraline asked her.

“In a manner of speaking, yes.”

“Was my mother really that terrible when she was the Evil Queen?”

“No…I don’t know. I knew her before that. To be honest with you, I really just need to talk to your Mom. I owe her…an explanation, among other things. Do you think that she will want to talk to me?” Will asked her.

“I am sure that she will.”

“Why is that?”

“Because she is going to the fear of whatever gods you deem holy in you for hurting me.”

“Does she know that we…?”

“No, she doesn’t, but I am sure that Emma suspects it. I talked with her back in Boston. She could tell that you were running, but she didn’t know why either. Both of us have that built-in lie detector. She gave me some really good advice, too,” Coraline stated.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“You just did, but sure.”

“Why did you really come to Boston?” Will asked her.

“I was looking for you.”

“Why?” Will questioned.

“Because you knew Emma.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“It is a long and complicated story, but I owe you some truths, too,” Coraline replied.

“Like what?”

“Emma is my other mother.”

“Your what?” Will inquired.

“Emma and Regina are both my mothers. Like Emma, I am the product of True Love. They made me somehow magically or something. I am their daughter. I possess the capabilities of them both. I am physically strong and magically powerful, a master horseman and swordsman. Thanks to your teachings to Snow, I am a master archer, too. But, unlike all of them, I didn’t come here because of the Dark Curse. I mean both castings of it. I am from the future.”

“The future,” Will said in disbelief.

“Yeah, about twenty-five years from now. I haven’t even been born yet. My future is dark and lonely. I’ve come back to learn about my family and to save them.”

“Save them?”

“From the Blackness,” Coraline stated.

“The Blackness?”

“Yeah, it is something that attacked the Enchanted Forest. It destroyed everything in its wake and corrupted those it kept. It tried to corrupt me, but I cast the spell to come here first.”

“What is the Blackness?” Will questioned seriously.

“I don’t know.”

“I need to speak with your mother.”

“Which one?”

“Regina. Now. We need to go back to Storybrooke.” 

“Like right now?” Coraline asked.

“YES!!!”

“But, the boundary…I don’t know if you can cross it and …”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll be fine. We need to go.”

“What is it?”

“I need to see the Queen.”

“She isn’t the Queen anymore,” Coraline stated.

“Coraline, she will always be my Queen. I know that you don’t understand that, but it is the truth at least until she releases me. I am still bound by law to her. I’ve avoided her long enough. And, I can’t be sure that Rumple hasn’t already told her that I’ve been to Storybrooke.”

“What!?!”

“I’ve been to Storybrooke.”

“And, you didn’t lead with that.”

“It wasn’t important at the time.”

“It wasn’t important… What the fuck is actually wrong with you? Why didn’t you tell me that you could cross when I got here? Is that why you agreed to come back with me, because you knew that you could?” Coraline questioned.

“There is a lot that I haven’t told you, Coraline. And, a lot that I cannot tell you, at least until I talk with your mother. As for not telling you that I could cross, I wasn’t sure that you really wanted me to come back there with you. If you didn’t, I was going to respect your wishes and leave after I spoke with your mother and regained my freedom,” Will explained.

“Why do you need her freedom?”

“Because I feel a pull towards her now that I know she is here. As long as I know that she is in Storybrooke and in this realm, I will feel a draw towards her. I cannot escape that. It is hard to explain the relationship between us. Other than that, there was something else pulling me to your little slice of Maine,” Will stated.

“Yeah and what is that?”

“You, Coraline, it is you.”


	22. Chapter 22

_Wilhelmina sat in the Queen’s chamber waiting on her to get back from the throne room.  She was unsure of what the queen would like her to do.  They hadn’t official met and all she knew about this new queen was that Snow adored her endlessly.  Will knew that the queen was the one that rescued Snow that day and for that reason alone she agreed to serve her.  She found herself pacing and was uncharacteristically nervous.  She didn’t like it._

_She made herself stop pacing.  She walked over to the balcony at the edge of balcony and looked down into the throne room.  She could see King Leopold and Princess Snow, but she didn’t see the new Queen.  She had seen her in passing, enough to know what she looked like, but she didn’t see her in there.  Her skin immediately prickled in worry and then she felt someone staring at her.  She turned to see a beautiful young woman in a light blue dress standing just before her._

_“Can I help you?” she asked._

_“My apologies, Majesty.  I am Wilhelmina and I am at your service.  I’ll be sure to be at your side from now on,” Will stated clearly, giving her a deep bow._

_“You’re Wilhelmina?”_

_“Yes, Majesty.”_

_“I thought you were a horse.”_

_“Excuse me?”_

_“I thought that the Princess was giving me a horse.  I must admit that I didn’t read the contract very thoroughly.  Now, it seems that I must.  What are you to me?”_

_“I am your Vulcannonian guard.”_

_“Vulcannonian?  You are from Vulcannon?  Why are you here?”_

_“I was a gift from my father to the King,” she replied._

_“We are alike in that respect, then,” Regina mused aloud.  “But, what are your duties to me?  I haven’t had a personal anything.  What am I supposed to do with you?”_

_“Whatever you wish, Majesty.  I am at your disposal.  But, my main responsibility is your health and well-being.  I am to protect you at all times.  I will be at your side, unless you command me away.  Where you go, I go,” Will told her._

_“What about to the King’s chambers?” Regina asked._

_“I will escort you there and then back here, but I will not enter.”_

_“Ah…there is no reprieve for me, is there?  I am stuck because of my mother’s magic and I cannot leave the grounds of the castle without him.  He and Snow are leaving tomorrow on a tour of the kingdom.  He’s decided to leave me here, so I can learn the castle and decide what I want to do as his queen.”_

_“Do I need to do anything for you for that, Majesty?” Will asked._

_“Can you find a way for me to go home?”_

_“I will do what I can for you, but do you not wish to be with the King?”_

_“No, I do not.  My mother accepted his proposal on my behalf.  Of course, this was after she killed the man I loved,” Regina told her._

_“I am sorry for your loss, Majesty.  Is there anything that you require of me?  Anything at all?”_

_“Will you stay with me here?”_

_“If that is what you wish, I will stay.”_

_“What are you wearing?” she finally asked me._

_I was in a typical Vulcannonian dress.  It was loose fitting and tight in the right spaces for fighting, but it was a courtly dress and not something that Will was used to wearing on the regular.  She put it on because she was going to be in the presence of the Queen, not the Princess, and there were different protocols for that._

_“It is a Vulcannonian Court dress.”_

_“Do you wear_ **that** _normally?”_

_“If you don’t wish it, no, Majesty, I don’t,” she replied._

_“Then what would you wear?”_

_“When I served the Princess, I generally wore a pair of pants, a sword shirt, and a jerkin.”_

_“Then, please change.  That will be your uniform with me as well.  Does everyone in the palace know who you are and what your relationship is to me?”_

_“They do, Majesty.”_

_“What is your full name Wilhelmina?” Regina asked, eyeing her curiously._

_“Wilhelmina Conulf, daughter of King Pyroxes of Vulcannonian, Princess of the Realm.”_

_“You’re a princess?” Regina asked in disbelief._

_“Yes, Majesty, I am.”_

_“Am I to refer to you as ‘Highness’?”_

_“No, Majesty.  You may call me whatever you’d like.  Princess Snow referred to me as Highness because she felt the need and I don’t know why.  The King usually just calls me Will, as does most of the rest of the knights and servants of the castle.  But, whatever you wish to call I will answer to.  I am at your bidding.”_

_“At my bidding?  Like  a slave? You will do anything I ask of you?” Regina questioned._

_“Within reason and my power, Majesty, yes,” Will told her._

_“Well, for now, I will call you Will.  And, for tonight, I wish that you stay with me.  Tomorrow, I will reread that contract about you.  Will you sleep in here with me?”_

_“If you wish.”_

_“Where will you sleep?”_

_“I have my own rooms, near yours, just through that door, there,” Will told her pointing to the hidden door in the wall.  “But, I can sleep here on the chaise.  I will be fine.  It is better than many a bed that I have had.  I will go change and come back.  Would you like anything?”_

_“I have a cask of apple cider.  Will you bring it up to my room and some glasses?  I feel that I am going to need something to drink.”_

_“Yes, Majesty, I’ll be back shortly. I will change while I am gone.  Would you like me to send your maid in to help you change?”_

_“That’s fine,” Regina replied, dismissing her._

_Regina didn’t want her go.  She walked over to the balcony and looked down into the throne room.  She could be happy here, if she wanted to be.  But, that was the problem, she didn’t want to be happy.  Snow had caused Daniel’s death and now, she had to be her step-mother.  It wasn’t fair.  Why did she have to deal with all of this?  She was barely eighteen.  Thankfully, the King hadn’t called on her to come to his bed yet.  She feared the night he did._

_“Worried about something, Dearie?”_

_“Rumpelstiltskin!”_

_“In the flesh,” he stated giving her a dramatic bow._

_“What do you want with me?”_

_“You wanted to learn magic, Dearie.  Are you ready now?  Or, do you not want your revenge?”_

_“She is just a girl.  I cannot hurt her.  I’ve sent my mother away as you wanted with that looking glass.  What more do you want from me?”_

_“Ah…ah…ah, Dearie.  You called on me for all of that, remember?” he asked and then giggled.  “I merely supplied you with the means.  You decided that your mother needed to fall through the glass.  That was all you, my dear Regina.  Now, what else do you want?”_

_“I want Daniel back,” Regina told him._

_“Ah, your stable boy, but he is dead.  And, dead is dead.  I cannot change that, Dearie.”_

_“Then, I have no use for you,” Regina stated and turned back around._

_“I’ll leave you to your misery, then.  Call me when you have need of me or when you realize that you can actually have everything that you want if you are just willing to take it.  I’ll be waiting.”_

_“Then, until you can find a way to give me Daniel back, I won’t need you.”_

_He smiled and giggled in his impish way before saying, “We shall see about that, Dearie.”_

_When she turned around there was a flourish of green smoke.  She blinked a few times before she realized that he was gone.  She walked over to her wardrobe to find something less elegant to wear.  She was tired.  She wanted Daniel, but he was something that she would never have, again.  She started to change on her own._

_She didn’t hear Will come back into the chambers.  She was so lost in her thoughts.  She didn’t even realize that she was crying until Will turned her around and hugged her._

_“What are you doing?” Regina asked her, shoving her away._

Regina and Emma were still sleeping soundly in each other’s arms when the pounding on the door started.  Emma rolled over, immediately, and grabbed her side arm.  She didn’t even realize that she was still naked until she got to the bedroom door.

“Sheriff, unless you plan on shocking the town, I would think some clothes are in order,” Regina told her, sitting up in the bed and giving her a smirk.

Emma looked down at herself and then over at Regina.  She crossed the room and grabbed her jeans.  She began pulling them up when Regina effortlessly got out of the bed.  She watched she waved her hands in front of her body and she was suddenly clothed.

“We need to work on your spells, Dear,” Regina told her as she left the room, leaving Emma to struggle with getting dressed.

Emma couldn’t believe that the woman conjured herself dressed.  Not that she looked bad in the gray blue satin pajamas and the matching robe, but damn, couldn’t she at least given Emma some, too.  She shook her head and grabbed her bra and her shredded tank. 

“Damn it, Regina,” Emma said aloud as she went to her closet and grabbed the closest thing to a t-shirt that she could find.

She pulled it over her head and headed down the stairs.  She stopped short on the end of the stairs when she saw Will and Coraline standing there.  She didn’t know what was going on, but there was some obvious tension between the three.

“We need to talk,” Will told Regina.

“I imagine that we do,” Regina replied.

Emma cocked her head.  She’d had this same conversation with Regina on the day she decided to leave Storybrooke.  The look on Coraline and Will’s face showed her that it wasn’t going to be the same though.   

Then she studied Will.  She didn’t have red hair.  It was dark, like charcoal.  And, her eyes were a brilliant and piercing blue.  She watched the way she moved as she was escorted to Regina’s personal study.   There was something different about her, something that Emma couldn’t read, and it was something that Emma had never seen in her bounty hunter friend.

“I’ll speak with you soon, Emma.  I promise.  I’ll explain everything the best that I can.”

Emma turned to Regina and then Coraline.  Neither of them gave her an answer.  She looked at Regina as Regina closed the door to the room.  Coraline came up to her and took her hand.  She allowed her daughter to pull her into the kitchen.

“What the hell was that?” Emma asked her as Coraline sat her on a stool at the bar.

“They need to talk.”

“I heard that much.  But, what was that?  Why is she talking to your mother?” Emma asked her.

“I am not the only one that Will needs to apologize to, Ma.  Let’s just leave it at that for now.  I am sure that Will and Mom will explain everything once they are finished.”

“I don’t know that I can wait that long,” Emma huffed.

“Trust them both…for me,” Coraline stated.

Emma raised her eyes quickly to her daughter’s.  She saw nothing in them that would betray what her lover and her friend were discussing.  She only saw the plea of trust from her daughter.  She shook her head absentmindedly in affirmation. 

“Will you give me a hint?”

“Will is older than she looks, like Mom.”

Emma stared at her.  She couldn’t believe what her daughter was telling her.  If that was true, then that meant that Will was….  No, she couldn’t be.  Emma would have known.  She would have…sensed something. 

“Is she from…?”

“Ma, do yourself a favor and wait for her to tell you,” Coraline stated as she went into the fridge for some orange juice.  “You’ll just hurt your head with all the wild scenarios that you are going to try and come up with.  Trust me.  She’ll explain everything.  She just needs to talk to Mom first.  There is nothing to worry about.  Now, sit down and I’ll make you breakfast.”

“Did I hear something about breakfast?” Henry asked coming into the kitchen.

“Yeah, I’m making pancakes.  Do you want eggs and bacon?  I’ll make it, too,” Coraline stated as she moved around the kitchen gathering up what she needed to cook with.

Henry made his way to the fridge and made himself a glass of OJ.  He grabbed the eggs and bacon, too.  As he walked back across the kitchen to the bar top, he set them down on the counter near the stove but far enough away from the stove so they wouldn’t burn.

“Where’s Mom?” he asked, nonchalantly as he took a swing of his OJ.

“In her study,” Coraline answered.

She watched as Emma bristled at the thought.  All she could think about was that Coraline and Will were keeping something from her.  She looked up at Coraline again, hoping this time that she might give her something more to go on and hoping it would make all the craziness in her head stop.  She didn’t want to think about Will and Regina.  She really didn’t, but the more that she sat there and she didn’t know what was going on with them, the crazier the relationships between Regina and Will seemed to get.

“I’ll just go see what-“

“Sit down, Ma,” Coraline commanded.

Emma met her eyes and saw the flash of green.  She knew that Coraline wouldn’t use her magic against her, but it only spurred her thoughts down the rails of the crazy train she was driving.  Coraline leaned over the stove and put a hand on Emma’s.  It was meant to be a gesture of comfort and love, but Emma could feel the magic moving from her daughter into her.

“Please don’t make me make you,” Coraline stated.

“Uh, Ma?  Coraline?  What’s going on?”

“It seems that your mother and my friend know each other from before,” Emma gritted out, trying to pull her hand back but failing as her daughter kept it there and under hers.

“From before where?” Henry asked.

“Here!” Emma shouted and then turned her eyes back up at Coraline.  “Let me go, Coraline.”

“Leave them alone, Ma.  They need to talk.  I have an idea, why don’t you talk to me about what we’ve learned so far about the Blackness, huh?  That’ll get your mind off of things.”

Emma looked at her like she two heads.  She didn’t want to talk about the Blackness.  She wanted to know what the Hell was going on with Regina and Will.  She wanted to know how Will knew Regina.  She wanted to know why Will never told her who she really was.  No, scratch that, she knew why Will never told her that she was from the Enchanted Forest.  Emma wouldn’t have believed her then.  Hell, she doesn’t know if she believes it now.

“She isn’t from the Enchanted Forest,” Coraline stated as she began to whip the eggs in a bowl.

“Wait, who isn’t from the Enchanted Forest?” Henry asked.

“Will isn’t from the Enchanted Forest?” Emma asked.

“Correct,” Coraline answered.

“Then, where the Hell is she from?”

“Who is Will?” Henry asked.

They both stopped and turned to Henry.  He looked confused.  He didn’t know what was going on or the fact that Coraline and Will had even come over that morning.  He didn’t know what happened in his mother’s bedroom the night before only because Regina had put enough thought into casting a sound damping spell on her room.  It would allow sound in, but not out.

“Uh…well…” Emma started.

“Will is a friend of Ma’s back from when she was a bounty hunter in Boston.”

“Oh, well, why didn’t we go see her when we were in New York?” Henry asked her.

“Well…honestly…”

“That year was hard on both of you, Henry.  She didn’t remember everything that happened in Boston before she came to Storybrooke.  Remember, Mom changed her memories.  I don’t know if she knew about Will before I showed up.  Plus she was worried about you all the time.”

Emma looked over at Coraline and mouthed a “thank you” at her.  She didn’t know why she didn’t call Will during that year, but Coraline’s explanation made sense.  She really hadn’t thought about anyone back in Boston until Coraline showed up.  She wondered if that was on purpose or she was so busy dealing with everything there that she just let life happen.

“I need to go check on your mother,” Emma said, getting up again, anger lessened by talking with her children and realizing that Will must have had her reasons for not telling her.

“Ma,” Coraline started as she poured the eggs in a skillet, “Just remember this about the whole situation.  She may be from that realm, but she didn’t know who you were.  She never knew that you were Grams and Gramps’ kid.  She had no reason to know.  She left before the Curse.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Emma replied as she left the kitchen in search of Regina and Will.

She made her way through the house and to Regina’s study.  The door was closed.  She knocked on it twice and then leaned into to listen.  She didn’t hear anything at all so she opened the door.  She completely caught off guard when she couldn’t see them.  She knew that they had been in the room talking.  She knew they had gone in there together and now they were gone. 

It felt like someone had punched her in the gut.  She didn’t know why, but she felt uneasy about the entire situation.  Something was off and she couldn’t figure out what it was, but she knew if she didn’t figure it out soon it would be worse for everyone.  She always trusted her gut even when things didn’t seem to be that bad, because her gut was never wrong.

“Coraline!!!” she yelled from the doorway.

Coraline and Henry came running from the kitchen.  The look of worry on their faces met the anger and worry on Emma’s.  Coraline cocked her head in question and peeked around the door jamb as soon as Emma allowed her to see around it.  She followed Emma’s gestured hand into the empty room.

“Where are they?” Coraline asked her.

“That is what I would like to know,” Emma replied.

“Where’s who?” Henry questioned

 

Regina didn’t give her time to say anything else to her as they went into her study.  She found her way to a couch and sat down.  Will didn’t follow suit.  She seemed happy to pace behind the other couch for a while, still unsure how to approach this entire conversation.

“Would some cider help you calm down, dear?” Regina asked her, crossing her legs and leaning back in the couch, taking a very regal posture.

“I doubt it.”

“Well, then…”

“I’m sorry.”

Regina didn’t reply.  She didn’t know if she could in that moment.  It had been too long since Will left her and then she fell in with Rumple.  He’d filled the hole that Will left.

“I know that will never be enough for you, but I am truly sorry I left you.”

“Why?” Regina finally asked quietly.

“It wasn’t you.”

“It never was, was it?” Regina asked.

“I know that you wanted something more from me, Regina, but I couldn’t do that to you.  It would have been worse than me leaving you.  You were still grieving.  I was merely a tool that helped you feel better for a while.  Your need for revenge was never going to allow your heart to mend fully.  And, now, we both know why.” Will stated.

“What does that mean?”

“You were Rumple’s means to an end.  He didn’t do anything for you that didn’t help him.  I’m just wondering why he didn’t push things while I was there with you.  He just faded away for a few years.  He needed you broken.  He needed you angry.”

“I wasn’t that angry with you.”

“No, because you had something to take it out on completely.  I knew than you needed it and that is why I never stopped you.  I could take it.  No one else in your world could.  But, even I had limitations.  Did you ever wonder why I left?”

“Every day...until the Genie arrived.  He was a decent distraction for me while Rumple weaved his web around me.  He killed Leopold for me, something you could never do,” Regina stated.

“He was the king, Regina.  I could no more kill him than you or Snow.  I haven’t forgotten what you asked me to do to the Princess.  I did what I could do for you, no more, no less.  I know you thought you needed their deaths, but now, you have learned from that mistake.”

“I can’t kill you anyway.”

“Would you try?”

“Back then, maybe.  Now, no, I wouldn’t.  I’ve come to realize than I needed the darkness to see the light in my future.  I was turning into my mother and I never even saw it.  You did though.”

“I knew enough to see that you weren’t heading down the path you were meant,” Will replied.

“But you still left,” Regina added.

“Rumple needed me out of the way.  So he got rid of me.  He knew that he couldn’t order you to give me up.  He knew you wouldn’t.  He had to create a reason for me to leave you.”

“Which was?”

“The destruction of my people.”

“He made the virus?”

“Yes, he did.  He is the reason that my brother and sister-in-law died.  He is the reason my father gave up himself.  He is the reason that the people of Vulcannon scattered into the wind.  My island homeland is vacant and nothing but volcanoes.  The people are gone.  The Vulcannonians do not exist anymore.  He destroyed an entire race and nation just to have you, Regina.”

“That isn’t all he destroyed.”

“I know.  The man knows no boundaries as long as he gets what he wants.  He will stop at nothing for the power he seeks.  Surely, you know that.  You’ve seen it firsthand.  But, yet, you let him live here like it doesn’t matter,” Will accused her.

“I had no choice in that matter.  But, he is slowly getting his comeuppance.  He is finally paying for everything that he has done.”

“I’m not even going to ask when it comes to that.  I am sure that I don’t want to know.  But, that is not why I really left you, Regina and you know it.  You knew that I would fight him for you.”

“Then, why didn’t you?” she asked, with the years of pain and defeat in her voice.

“I was dealing with my grief and he exploited it completely.”

“How?” Regina asked her suddenly concerned for what the Imp did to her.

“He told me that he could cure my brother.  He made an elixir, an antidote, to the poison that he created.  But, like anything he does, it required a deal.”

“What did you have to give him?”

“He wanted my mother’s cloak.”

“Your mother’s cloak?  What was so special about it?  Did you give it to him?”

“Of course, I did.  I wanted my brother to live, but it didn’t matter.  I was still too late.  He got what he wanted, which was the cloak.  I don’t know why he wanted it so bad, but he did.  I lost not only at piece of my mother, but my brother and my father.  Only for him to insult me further, when I made the decision to rebel and leave you.  I could no longer take my grief and our arrangement was no longer helping either of us.  We were stuck in at routine of pain.”

“What did he ask for when you decided to leave?” Regina asked her.

“At first, he wanted my brother’s cloak.  When I refused to give it to him, he changed tactics.  He finally found a nerve within me that he could twist for his own pleasure.  He liked to watch people squirm.  So he plucked at it until I relented,” Will told her.

“How long did it take?”

“About three years,” Will answered.  “Three years into your marriage.  He knew that you weren’t ever going to be happy with the King.  Why do you think that Genie showed up after I left?   Rumple could mold you and you in turn would mold the Genie into what you needed.  It was a win-win for him.”

“He does have that way about him.  I am not sure that will excuse your behavior or the fact that you’ve violated our contract.  What am I to do with you?” Regina asked her.

“I never let any harm come to you or your family, Regina.  I protected you even when I wasn’t with you.  I still do and will.  But, being who I am, I am asking for you to forgive me and release me from my bindings of the contract.  Let me go, Regina.  I cannot help you anymore,” she said.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why should I let you go?” Regina asked her.

Will started pacing again.  Her body rigid with worry and fight.  She knew that Regina wasn’t going to make this easy and she shouldn’t.  She’d violated the terms of their contract.  She was in the wrong, not Regina.  She had wronged Regina and needed to make amends for it.

“You aren’t going to like my answer and we both know it.”

“You love her?” Regina stated, uncrossing her legs and leaned forward, before shifting on the couch.  She leaned back and regarded Will in front of her.  Her eyes darkened and her face looked on a more regal appearance.  She had been schooled since birth for this.  “You want me to release you so you can be with my daughter?”

“It is more complicated than that.”

“I would say so.”

“Would you still own me now, Regina?” Will asked.

“That isn’t the point.”

“It is.  I have been free since I have been in this world.  I have been lonely since my arrival.  I have been here a lot longer than you have, Majesty, but even I have found companionship with others here.  You have Emma now.  Am I not allowed to find love?”

“I know what loving you entails for her, Wilhelmina.  Do you think that I will condone that?  I loved you in my own way and you left me.  Do you think that I would willingly let her be with you knowing that you would outlive her?  Have you told her that you are damn near indestructible?”

“I have.”

“Then why?” Regina questioned.

“It is a long story and one that will take us back to our days in the Enchanted Forest,” Will said.

“I seem to have the time,” Regina replied.

“As you wish, Majesty.”

“Sit, Wilhelmina, and tell me your tale.  I wish to know why you think that you would be good enough for my daughter.  Let alone why I should free you from my service.  I might have need of you in the coming future,” Regina explained.

Will stepped around the opposite couch and sat down.  She knew that Regina wouldn’t make this easy, and she’d hoped she might have more time before they had this conversation but Regina had other plans, like always.  She knew that Regina had a working knowledge of Vulcannonian lore, and like Regina, neither of them believed half of it.  It had all been speculation until Coraline.

“I love her, Regina.  What more can I say about that?  I love her.  I would do anything for her.”

“Even leave?”

“If that was for the best, yes, I would.  It would hurt me to do it.  It did hurt me to leave her in Boston, but I wasn’t ready to face you.  I wasn’t prepared for you to actually be the Regina that she called Mom.  I should have known.  She favors you, but I didn’t want to think about that.”

“You’ve slept with her?” Regina asked turning her hands over.

Before she could stop herself, Will told her the truth.  She knew that it would hurt more and longer, even if it wouldn’t kill her, if she didn’t tell Regina the truth.  She saw the flash of purple in Regina’s eyes.  She took a quick breath and said, simply, “Yes.”

The fire balls erupted in Regina’s hands quicker than she anticipated.  Her anger was boiling over.  She knew that it wasn’t a good thing, but she needed to punish Wilhelmina.  She needed to get it out of her system.  She needed to find a way to let her go now that she was back.

“Come with me,” Regina growled through gritted teeth as she stood up, extinguishing the fire.

“As you wish, Majesty,” Will answered her.

Regina was upon her before Will could have stopped it.  She grabbed both of Will’s shoulders and flashed them to her family’s mausoleum.  It was the only place that she could think of that she could try to destroy Wilhelmina without any interference.

She quickly pushed her against a wall and had her in chains.  This was the one room than she hadn’t used since they came to Storybrooke.  It was simply designed for Wilhelmina.  It was a way that Regina could relieve stress, but no one ever held a candle to the abuse that Will could take.  Graham was at her mercy because she held his heart.  The Genie was because he was in love with her.  But, Wilhelmina, she was special.

“This was for me, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” Regina answered.

“You made this hoping I would come back...” Will stated realizing that Regina held her anger longer than most and this was not going to be an easy day for either of them.

“You can punish me, Regina, but it won’t change the fact that I love her.”

“Have your bonded with her yet?”

“No, I haven’t.  I don’t know if I will have to do it anyway.  She is a magical being and the pull is already there between us, just like it is between you and Emma.  We can try to deny it, but it is there.  I would never have betrayed you like that, Majesty.  Once I knew who she was, I knew that I had to come to you,” Will told her as she pulled away from the wall and the chains.

“You are not worthy of her,” Regina spat at her.

“I may not be, but hope to try to be,” Will replied.

 

Over at the diner, Ruby was waiting tables while Belle sat in the back booth still pouring over the books about Vulcannon.  She wasn’t going to let it go, now.  She figured that she was close to whatever Regina was worried about it.  She wondered what Snow and Regina knew that wasn’t in the books.  It was obvious from the contracts that they had both employed the same Vulcannonian before the Curse.  She wondered if they thought that the Vulcannonians were the cause of the Blackness. 

Ruby came over and refilled her tea while asking, “Find anything new yet?”

“No, not really.  Most of the documents are contracts for different Vulcannonians and the royal houses of the Enchanted Forest.  I even found one for my father, but it was different than the rest.  He didn’t ask for protection or service.  It was more a mercenary assignment.”

“How so?” Ruby asked, sitting down in the booth across from her and setting the pitcher of tea on the table in front of her.

“He hired a Vulcannonian named Rojan Fajro,” Belle answered.

“For what purpose?”

“To kill Rumple and bring me home,” Belle stated.

“Well, we can see that didn’t work,” Ruby stated.  “But, wait, I thought that Vulcannonians were indestructible?  You know like immortal or something?  How did this Vulcannonian fair against the Dark One?  Is there any record of him beyond that contract?”

“Just this picture,” Belle said turning the book around.

Ruby looked at the drawing in the heavy leather bound, parchment filled, tome.  She saw three woman all around the same age and two men.  The taller of the men bore a tall crown like that of a king and the other man a small crown.  The woman in the middle of the drawing had a tall crown and red cloak.  She was the only dressed in her cloak, Ruby noted.  The rest of them were hold their cloaks draped across an arm.  Ruby studied the woman in the middle, before she gasped.  There was something familiar about her and the youngest looking girl to her right.  The younger woman bore small crown, while the woman to the left of the small crowned man had a tiara on her head.  It looked like a royal family portrait, except they were all about the same age.

“What?” Belle asked when Ruby pointed at the “Queen.”

 “That’s…that’s…GRANNY!!!” Ruby yelled.

“What is it, girl?  You don’t need to yell like that.  What’s wrong with you?” Granny asked coming out of the kitchen to see what had her granddaughter so riled up.

“Who is that?” Ruby asked her pointing to the Queen again.

“It can’t be…” Granny answered.

“Who is she?” Belle asked tentatively, realizing that this was a tense situation for them.

“Granny, that isn’t her, is it?” Ruby pleadingly asked.

“I don’t know, Ruby.  I don’t know.  Your father’s sister was…”

“That’s your aunt?” Belle inquired, trying to hide the excitement and the worry in her voice.

“Yes, well, it could be.  I don’t know.  She died before I ever knew her.  But, Granny always told me that she looked like my father.  She’d run off to some island nation to live.  We never heard from her again, until she died.  A young man brought her the news.  I was only about twelve.  It was before I turned.  It was before I got that cloak,” Ruby said pointing at the picture again.

“But, it couldn’t be that cloak, Ruby,” Granny told her.

“Why not?”

“Because Regina gave me the cloak.”

“She what?”

“Don’t look so surprised.  She cared for you from the beginning.  As soon as she figured out that you were her sister, she started looking in on us.  Why do you think that she spared us at every turn?  She wouldn’t have harmed a hair on your head, but she knew that she couldn’t bring you to the castle.  Cora would have killed you just because you existed.  She protected not only you but her father in that respect.  She never told her mother about you.”

“But, why?”

“Because she wanted a little sister.”

“Did she ever…”

“Every chance she could, until she was older and Cora watched her more closely.”

“Why don’t I remember it?” Ruby asked.

“I asked her to give a potion when the time came.  You needed to forget about her.  It was the same day that she gave me the cloak.  It was just before you thirteenth birthday, right before you changed.  She was trying to protect you because she knew that she would be there for you.”

“She gave me the cloak?”

“Yes, she is the one that told me that it would keep you from turning,” Granny explained.

“But…”

“She loves you, Ruby.  She always has.  And, for all her faults and all her want to believe that love is weakness, it is her greatest strength.  Regina loves so hard and so completely that it blinds her sometimes.  Her love of Daniel clouded everything.  She cast the Curse in pain more than her want for revenge.  Why do you think that she wanted Henry so bad?”

“She’s always known that I was her half-sister?”

“Since you were little, yes.”

“Well, that add some more dynamics to the family trees of the Enchanted Forest,” Belle said.

“You have no idea,” Granny stated.

“What about that girl?”

“Your cousin?  You met her once.  It was just before the Curse I believe, but she had red hair then.  What was her name…?  Oh, yeah, Willow Scarlet, she was with Robin Hood, I think.”


	23. Chapter 23

****

Emma stared at the empty room.  She didn’t understand why Regina wouldn’t tell them where she was going.  She slowly pulled out her cell and hoped that Regina would answer.  She doubted that she would, but she needed to make sure that she was alright.  There had been something completely off about the way that Will and Regina greeted each other and she was still made at herself for not following her gut and busting in there sooner.  She wasn’t angry with Coraline for telling her to wait, but she wasn’t happy about it either.

“Come on, Regina, pick up the damn phone,” she said to no one but the phone.

Regina didn’t pick up the phone.  By this time, Emma was starting to panic.  She didn’t know where Regina would go.  She didn’t know what Regina was thinking and worst of all, she didn’t know how Will mixed into everything.

“Call Belle and Ruby,” Coraline suggested.

“Why?”

“They might be able to help.”

“How?” Emma asked her, staring at her daughter in wonder.

“They may know more than they are letting on.  I know that Belle has been researching non-stop for Mom.  She may have stumbled across something important, something that Mom didn’t want up to know about right away.  It might be something stupid and it might not be.  But, call them.  Calm down.  I’ll go find, Mom.”

“What makes you think that you can find her?” Emma asked, sitting down on one of the couches.

“She’s my Mom.  I share her magic.  I’ll just track it.  Sniff her out, if you will,” she answered.

“You can do that?” Emma questioned, amazement in her eyes.

“For you, two, yeah, I can.  Even the tiniest bit of magic that you used, I can find.  How do you think that I found my way back to the White Castle?  It wasn’t sheer dumb luck.  I knew what I was looking for and I followed it.  But, please, don’t tell Ruby that.  She might kill younger me before I can go gallivanting off into the woods,” Coraline explained.

“We will talk about all that later, because….  Well, just because.  Go find your Mom.  I’ll call Ruby and Belle and have them come over here.  I’m giving you an hour,” Emma told her, not waiting for her answer, before she was already on the phone with Ruby.

Coraline didn’t wait to answer.  She ruffled Henry’s hair and started for the door.  She knew that a change in clothes might be appropriate.  She darted up the stairs and grabbed a tunic.  It wasn’t much, but she always felt better wearing it when she was hunting something.

The irony of the situation wasn’t lost her.  She had come to Storybrooke to find her Moms and she did.  She came to learn more about them so she could understand why they died the way they died.  The longer she was them the more it all made sense, but then again, she was half of each of them.  She knew that her Mom wouldn’t just disappear without reason, but she also knew that Regina was prone to her secrets with good reason.  Here she was, going off, to find her Mom, again.  She was beginning to think that this would be her stock in trade, finding Regina.

 

Regina paced in the dungeon of sorts that she had incorporated inside the mausoleum.  She was angry with herself for getting so furious with Will, because she thought that she hidden that darkness away.  She couldn’t tell if was a memory or just the fact that she was still angry with Will for running away all those years ago.  She needed to get a grip on things and quickly.

“Regina, I am not upset with you,” Will told her.

“You should be.”

“Why?”

“Because I immediately brought you here.  This isn’t me anymore.  I’ve come to embrace the darkness without giving into it.  I do what is needed when the heroes can’t find a way.  It isn’t always for the best, but it gets results.  I shouldn’t have done this.  I need to take you back.”

“Regina…stop.”

She spun around and stared at the blazing blue eyes staring at her.  She took in the slightly shorter hair of the knight before her and she realized that they were different people.  She could see the need for punishment in her eyes.  There was something else that Regina could see but she wasn’t sure what it was.  Their shared history was still clouding her mind.

“Regina…”

“What is it, Wilhelmina?”

“Do you remember the night you came to me?”

“How could I forget it?”

“Do you know why I never stopped you?” Will asked her.

“Because you were under contract.”

“That was only part of it, Regina.  I had a choice.  I could have walked away, but I didn’t.”

“Why?  Why didn’t you leave me?  I know that I was hurting you.  If you had a choice, why did you stay?” Regina asked her.

“Because you needed me and at that point, I needed you.”

“Why me?”

“Because you were the beginning of my destiny,” Will answered.

“What do you mean?”

“I was drawn to you.”

“So?”

“I could feel my heart yearning to be with you.  I’d read the stories, but I didn’t believe them.  I was already older than you at the time.  I didn’t want it to be you.  I didn’t want to bind myself to anyone.  I was used to being alone.  I was used to doing what I wanted.  I was used to being the protector.  I didn’t want anyone more than for one night.”

“But you wanted more with me?  Especially with how I treated you?  I can’t believe that.”

“Regina, I let you abuse me because you needed an outlet.  I could take it.  Knowing what happened after I left, hurts me more than I can say.  I will take any punishment you deem necessary, but I cannot stop loving Coraline.  She is an extension of you and I love you, too.”

“Why?” Regina asked her.

“Does it really matter?”

“Yes…”

 

_She heard the sobs before.  She knew what they meant, but tonight she couldn’t let it go.  She wanted to console her, but she didn’t know how.  She didn’t know what to do._

_“Majesty?” she asked walking up to her bed._

_She was hiding in the dark.  Covered from head to toe with the blankets, she could see that Regina was trying to block out the world.  She was far too young to understand everything, but she was still old enough to be his bride._

_Wilhelmina cursed the day that brought Regina in their lives.  It was a day that caused so much ruin.  If only she had been there to stop Snow and her horse…  She couldn’t deal with “what ifs.”  She could only deal with the here and now._

_“Regina?” she asked a little more loudly as she neared the bed._

_Ever since the night of the wedding and their return from the honeymoon, she had been at Regina’s side.  Except when he called on her.  She had no business there, but she could tell that their times together were not pleasant for Regina.  They seldom lasted all night and many a times, Wilhelmina had carried the young Queen back to their chambers._

_Tonight was different.  He called for her while Will was down with the rest of the knights getting ready for the trip to see King Midas.  Leopold hoped that Midas’ daughter and Snow would become friends.  They were around the same age, but had never really met.  She loathed such meetings, because she didn’t feel the need to comply with their orders.  Hers were simple.  She was to protect the Queen and serve her.  The King and Princess had become an afterthought_

_“My Queen,” she stated, placing one knee on the bed and leaning over the hump in the covers._

_“Go away,” Regina stated, angrily through the blankets._

_“M’lady, I will not leave you.”_

_“Go away, Will,” she tried to command a little more forcefully._

_“Regina, tell me what happened,” Will stated, inching ever closer to her._

_Suddenly, the covers flew off her head and she stared into her perfectly azure eyes.  The deep sadness in Regina’s mahogany eyes was accompanied by a fierce anger threatening to boil over.  She was abused on more than one level by the King, but the look in her eyes tonight was murderous.  Will held the gasp that threatened to escape and instead, reached out for her._

_Regina slapped the offered hand away and sat up a little in the bed.  Her eyes darkened in anger, but Will didn’t back down.  As she sat up and the covers fell, Will could finally see the bruises on her arms and shoulders.  She didn’t dare to guess at the ones on the rest of her body._

_“He hurt you?” it was more of a statement than a question._

_Will pulled her up and held her.  She could feel the anger floating off of her.  She hugged her tightly, afraid that if she let her go that Regina would do something terrible._

_“Regina, tell me what happened,” she urged._

_“Is my body not proof enough?”_

_“Let me take care of them for you.”_

_“Don’t touch me.”_

_“I won’t unless you want me to, Majesty.  But, let me make sure you aren’t further injured.  Will you let me do that?” Wilhelmina asked her._

_“What do you care?” Regina asked her dejectedly._

_“It is my job to care, Majesty.  I am at your service, remember?  I am here for you and you alone, now.  What do you need of me?”_

_“Kill the King.”_

_“I cannot do that.”_

_“Then you aren’t at my service.”_

_“I’ve told you before.  I will do anything in my power for you, Majesty, but I cannot hurt the royal family.  If we are attacked, my first duty is to you.  Once I know that you are safe, I have to help the King and the Princess.  Until such time, I will protect you.”_

_“Can you protect me from this?” Regina asked her._

_“I will try, Majesty.  I swear on that.  I will do my best.  Now, will you let me care for you?”_

_“If you must,” Regina replied._

_Will grabbed a sheet and covered her.  She didn’t know what else to do but give her a bath.  She crossed the rooms to the small bathing chamber and prepared the bath.  In all honesty, all she had to do was stoke the fire a little to reheat the water.  She was amazed at the piping they had._

_It seemed like she should be able to do something to protect her from the King, but he was her husband and as such had rights to Regina’s body.  Will didn’t have to like it, but she couldn’t stand in his way.  She would find a way to block him though.  She couldn’t stand to see Regina like this.  It wasn’t fair, to either the King or the Queen.  They both knew that Regina would never be Ava.  Will would care for her tonight and speak with the King in the morning._

_When the water was warmer, she went back into the room.  She found Regina huddled back up in the middle of the bed.  She grabbed her carefully around the middle and made sure to keep the thin sheet wrapped around her body.  Once she had her to the edge of the bed, she slowly put one arm under her legs and hoisted her up.  She carried Regina back across the room to the bathing chamber.  She stood her up in front of the bathing pool._

_Regina refused to get in.  She held the sheet tighter around her body.  She didn’t want Wilhelmina to see what damage he had done.  Her pride wouldn’t let her.  Will could see it on her face.  She knew that tonight was not going to be an easy night for either of them._

_“Majesty…”_

_“What?”_

_“You can get in with the sheet, if you would like,” Will offered._

_Regina just stared at her, almost daring her to put her in the pool before them.  Instead of taking the bait and doing just that, Wilhelmina reached up and unlaced her tunic.  She pulled the tunic off and threw at a chair in the corner.  She then undid the lacings in her leather pants and tossed them once they were removed at the same chair.  Clad only in a thin linen sword shirt, Will stepped into the bathing pool and held out her hand._

_The gesture wasn’t lost on Regina.  She was willing to do anything for her and Regina could see that in her actions and words.  But, this…this was a whole new step in their relationship.  Will was treating her as an equal.  She didn’t show her pity or indifference.  She acted like she really cared and it was because Regina had never really had that in her life that she decided to take a chance on Wilhelmina.  She stepped towards the pool._

_Will turned her hand over and moved closer to the edge.  Regina took her hand tentatively with her left hand, while her right had a death grip on the sheet.  She took a step forward and so did Will, meeting her at the edge of the pool.  Regina stared at her in wonder._

_The thin sword shirt was plastered to her body.  Water dripped from her arms as she reached out with her left hand to steady Regina’s entrance into the pool.  Regina unknowingly leaned into the embrace as she led into the pool.  Will ushered her in and over to the ledge where she could sit.  Once she had Regina settled, she moved around the edge of it gathering various lotions, oils and soaps.  Then she grabbed two cleaning cloths._

_“What are you going to do?” Regina asked her._

_“I am going to bathe you, Majesty.  These oils will make his marks go away.  And, this lotion will ease the tightness and pain you feel.”_

_Regina eyed her.  She didn’t know why she trusted Will above all overs close to her, but she did.  There was just something about the way she moved and handled herself around Regina.  She almost felt loved and adored by the knightly companion._

_“Will you drop the sheet some…just off your shoulders for now,” Will suggested._

_Regina eased the grip that she had on the sheet and it slowly sank into the water.  Will held her eyes, never once betraying any emotions or any embarrassment at the situation.  She carefully bathed the right shoulder and then Regina’s left.  Her touch was soft and steady.  It made Regina’s heart ache._

_“Why are you so different from the rest?”_

_“The rest, Majesty?” Will asked her, unsure of what she meant._

_“You don’t want to hurt me.”_

_“I don’t want to hurt anyone.”_

_“Why?  Why do you do this?  What are you as a knight if you don’t want to hurt anyone?”_

_“There is a difference between defense and offense, my Queen.  Knowing the difference and when to use them, well, that is a skill that cannot be taught fully.  It must be felt.  I come from a long line of warriors.  I have been taught to do things that would make you blush, Majesty, but had I not been taught these things, I would be no good for your protection.”_

_“I don’t understand.”_

_“I sometimes have to think offensively in order to protect you.  If I didn’t know how to attack, I wouldn’t be prepared to defend.  Does that make sense?”_

_“Perfect, but it still doesn’t explain your passiveness towards things,” Regina answered._

_“That comes from life experiences and time, Majesty.  Also, another lesson that cannot be taught to the individual.  It must be experienced.  I am a lot older than I appear, my Queen.”_

_“I highly doubt that.  You can’t be much older than I am.  Don’t lie to me.”_

_“I am older than you, Majesty.  I am not quite as old as the King, but I am older.  I have lived long enough to know that I cannot change the fates of some, but I can help them to their destinies.  I am not going to abandon you and your pain.  I will ease it to the best of abilities.”_

_Righteous anger filled Regina in the moment and she struck out.  She caught the side of Wilhelmina’s face with a ring, cutting open the skin on her cheek.  The amazed look in her eyes told Will all she needed to know as she caught the other hand before it landed.  She could feel the blood pouring down her face, but she was more worried about Regina’s state of mind than she was about a little blood and her cheek._

_Regina recoiled at the sight.  She had never drawn blood before.  She had never struck anyone before, either, and she didn’t know what to do now that she had.  She just stared at Will._

_“I’ll be fine, Regina.  It was just a scratch.  But, I am afraid that you have held your anger too long.  If you don’t do something to relieve it, you will do something horribly drastic.”_

_“Like what?”_

_“Return to the Imp for guidance,” Will replied._

_“You know of him?”_

_“I know he wanted something that your mother was unable to give.  He’s offered to teach you magic, but what must you give him in return. Has he asked you for something?”_

_“I rid him of my mother.”_

_“You killed her?”_

_“No, I pushed her through a looking glass.  It is all so pedestrian.  By why are you so worried about what he wants with me?  You don’t care enough to stop my husband.  Why should he be any different?  He is after all just a man with magic,” Regina replied._

_“You don’t know the Dark One well enough, my Queen.  Please, do us all a favor and stay away from him.  He will cause you nothing but heartache while he giggles in the corner at your suffering.  That is his stock in trade, your suffering, not his own, but yours.”_

_Regina reached out to touch her cheek.  The blood had clotted, but the wound was gone.  There was no trace of it.  She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.  She grabbed one of the wash cloths from Wilhelmina and wiped her face with it.  She gasped when she saw no wound._

_“How?” she asked._

_“How what, Majesty?”_

_“There is no wound.  I stuck you.  I felt my ring catch into your skin.  You were bleeding.  There isn’t even a scratch,” Regina stated caressing her cheek._

_“I told you not to worry about me, Majesty.  I told you I would be fine.  There is nothing that you can do that I cannot handle.  Now, may I please take care of you?” Will asked her._

_“No, you may not.  Explain yourself.  How did you heal that quickly?” Regina asked._

_“I am Vulcannonian,” Will stated simply._

_“You know that doesn’t mean much to me.  I signed that contract not understanding everything fully it seems.  I know that you are my personal knight and that you are sworn to protect me, but beyond that.  What I don’t know is what a Vulcannonian is?  I have never heard of the kingdom of Vulcannon.  Where is it?”_

_“We are an island people.  My kingdom is nothing but islands and volcanoes.  My father is the King Pyroxes.  My brother is the Prince.  His name is Rojan Fajro.  Rojan married Ulrica Cailin.  Last I spoke with them, they are about to have a child.  I will be an aunt soon.  Father was not surprised when Leopold asked for a Vulcannonian for Princess Snow.  I was chosen because I looked near enough her age.  There weren’t any younger candidates at the time.”_

_“Younger candidates?”_

_“Leopold wanted someone who looked like a handmaiden but could fight.  I was my father’s obvious choice.  When Leopold met me, he wasn’t sure.  Father had me prove myself against five of his best knights.  Needless to say, I won.”_

_“They are a bunch of bumbling fools.  But, that still doesn’t answer my question.  What does you being Vulcannonian have anything to do with your cheek healing?”_

_“It has everything to do with it, Majesty.”_

_“Meaning?”_

_“I cannot die.”_

_“You can’t die?”_

_“No, my Queen, I cannot.  Now, do you understand why Snow gave me to you?  She wanted to make sure that her new mother wasn’t hurt.  I am to protect you.”_

_“You cannot die.  Can you get hurt?  I mean, if injured, does it hurt?”_

_“Yes, Majesty, it hurts.  But, the pain is temporary.  There are no scars or wounds.  They all heal and disappear.  I will remain as I am today for the rest of your days, without a scratch or scar.”_

_“Interesting.  Will you tell me more of your kingdom and its people?  I want to learn.”_

_“As you wish, Majesty.  I will teach you everything I know.  But, can I now bathe you?  I wish to wash him off you and heal your bruising.  I will tell him you are unwell in the morning.  He will not come for you again.  I will find a way, Majesty.”_

_“I have no doubt that you will,” Regina replied and finally relaxed against the edge of the pool._

“You still won’t stand up to me?” Regina asked her.

“That is not my mission in life, nor is it my place to do so, Regina.  You are my Queen, kingdom or no kingdom.  I serve only you and those you tell me are my leaders.”

“And, if I told you that you must obey Emma, Henry and Coraline?”

“Then I would do your bidding, Majesty,” Will answered, dropping her head and body, trying to salute her.

“What am I to do with you?  Snow knows you here, well that you have been here.  You were working at the docks, weren’t you?” Regina asked her.

“I was.”

“Why?”

“I like working and manual labor is the easiest thing to get into when you have to move often.  Most of the time, they don’t ask questions.  It is just sign here, move that from here to there and pick up your pay at the end of the day.  It was a quick way to make a dollar and survive.  You forget that I didn’t have the luxury of your town to live in when I got here.  I had to make my own way.  It wasn’t easy at first, but I did it.  I survived like I was supposed to do,” Will said.

“And, you met Emma when?”

“In Florida, outside of Tallahassee.  She didn’t know what she was looking for, but I could tell that she was a survivor like me.  I offered her a job, a legit job, working for me.”

“Did you know who she was?”

“No.  Never.  I didn’t know who she was and what her relation to you and Coraline were until Coraline told me.  All I knew was that she was the Sheriff of Storybrooke.  That was the last thing that she told me when she had me send her stuff here.  Honesty, I don’t know how it got here because of the magical boundaries and all, but it never came back to me.”

“Certain things were allowed in,” Regina answered.

“Mail?”

“Correspondence with the outside world, yes, was one of them.  I was really the only one who ever used it and that was to acquire things.  As time progressed on the outside, things changed here.  My wardrobe and what you could purchase in stores changed.  The music we could hear.  We progressed with the times even though we did not age,” Regina told her.

“So you became Vulcannonian for what thirty years?”

“Something like that, yes.”

“But, people could die here?”

“Yes, we are still human after all,” Regina replied like it was the most obvious answer.

“Some of us anyway,” Will stated, pulling on the chains.  “Are you going to let me out?  We should head back before Emma or Coraline begin to worry.”

“I think it may be too late for that, but we should go back.”

“I need to talk to Emma…alone.  I need to explain somethings.  I am sure that she doesn’t understand how I know you.  That might be a very interesting conversation,” Will stated.

“You can’t tell her that!”

“I wouldn’t dream of telling her about that, Regina.  I am not stupid.  She is your lover now.  No, don’t ask me how I know that, but I can tell.  She loves you and you love her.  I would never dream of hurting you or her.  You of all should know that,” Will said.

“You can’t tell Coraline, either,” Regina demanded.

“I doubt that I would tell your daughter what we used to do.  It isn’t really of her business.  I know that it was a long time ago, Regina.  I protected you then and I will protect you now.  I will not tell anyone of what I our relationship consisted of beyond the norms of the contract.  I never divulged what happened between us in that room and I never will,” Wilhelmina explained.

“Thank you.”

“There is no thanks needed for that, Majesty.  It is part of the contract.  You know that.  I suffered for my betrayal, Regina.  I will continue to pay.  If you need to take it out on me, I will allow it, but not now.  We need to get back.  You don’t want Emma and Coraline finding us here.  Let me go, Regina.  We’ll go back.  I’ll explain what I can,” Will said.

“You’re right,” Regina replied and the cuffs unlatched letting Will go. 

“Don’t worry about it so much, Majesty.  I will take the blame for it all.  It is after all my fault.  I broke the articles of our contract.  I left.  And, we may never know what that may have done in the past, but I am back now.  I am not going to leave you again.”

“What about Coraline?” Regina asked.

“I love her.  That is all I need to know on that front.  I love her immensely.”

“You want to be bound to her,” Regina stated trying to hide the pain in her voice.

“As much as I want to deny it, I can’t.  I love her, Regina, more than I have loved anyone.  I cannot explain it.  I am drawn to her.  I would do anything for her,” Will replied.

“So you’ve said.”

“And, you’ve told me to prove myself.  I will do that for you and for her, Majesty.  Our pairing hasn’t been in the most conventional of manners, but I hope that you will allow me to try.  Will you allow me to court your Princess, my Queen?” Will asked, kneeling before her.

“Oh, do stand up.  I am not the Queen anymore.  I’ll give you permission to see her on one condition,” Regina told her.

“And, what is that, my Queen?” Will questioned, not dropping her former title.

“You have explain all the Vulcannonian lore to Emma, including being bound.”

“That isn’t going to be an easy conversation,” Will mused.

“Neither is telling her who and what you really are,” Regina added.

“At least, she won’t be able to kill me,” Will stated.

“Doesn’t mean that she won’t try,” Regina replied.

“Do you think she would?”

“You are having sex with our daughter.  You’ve lied to her on multiple occasions and you’ve hurt our daughter.  She has her father’s lack of tact and her mother’s flare for the dramatic.  A sword to the throat and good threat would be getting off easy, I’d say,” Regina told her.

“Well…I deserve it,” Will replied.

Regina reached out and grabbed her.  She held her wrists, rubbing them slightly, like she was making sure that the restraints hadn’t marked her.  Her eyes turned violet when she looked up into Will’s azure gaze.  Before Will could say anything, they were engulfed in purple smoke.

 

Ruby sat in booth.  She didn’t know what to say.  She just stared at the book.

“Ruby?” Belle asked.

“What?”

“Do you want me to call Regina?” Belle asked her.

Ruby didn’t know what she wanted in that moment.  She’d known that Henry was her father and that Regina was her sister.  She’d figured it out back in the Enchanted Forest, but just like Regina, she held her tongue.  Them being sisters complicated things on many levels.  Knowing that Henry was a prince, meant that Ruby was a princess in her own right, but Regina would have to instate her to that privilege.  Without Regina’s confirmation, Ruby’s claim would mean nothing.  They both knew it and because of the feud with Snow, never acted upon it.

“I need…”

“Yes?” Granny asked, realizing how distraught Ruby was with this news.

“What do you need?” Belle inquired again, reaching across the table this time and taking Ruby’s hand.  Ruby didn’t pull away.  She just turned her face up to look at Belle.

The gesture wasn’t lost on anyone, but Granny knew enough about her granddaughter to know that she would never act upon her feelings for Belle while she was still married to Rumple.  Belle searched her eyes for something that she couldn’t find.  Ruby had closed herself off like she did just before the full moon.  She didn’t want to need anything.  She didn’t want to hurt, but the news that her family was more magical than she originally believed stirred something inside.

“I need to be alone for a while.  I’m…I’m…I’m going to the woods for a walk.  I’ll…call you later,” Ruby stated suddenly and stood up. 

She was out the door before Belle could register what was happening.  Granny had just gotten out of her way.  She’d seen the same look on Ruby when she had to explain to her that she was wolf.  She knew to let her go and that Red would come back in her own time.  She’d kept her basically caged after that day with Regina years ago.  She wasn’t about to make that same mistake twice.  She had to learn to trust Red with the wolf, just as much as Red had to trust her wolf’s side.  They were one and as soon as Granny realized her mistake, Red was off fighting her own sister in a war that should have never happened. 

“What is it, Granny?” Belle asked seeing the emotions cross the older woman’s face.

“I should have told her the truth years ago, little one.”

“The truth about what?”

“That Regina is her sister.  That Regina took care of us and put the stop to the hunting of wolves, not only because Graham asked her to, but because she was worried about Red getting hurt.  Regina loves her.  She always has, but she has been guarded about it because of Cora.”

“I get that, but that isn’t why you’re upset by this.  What else is there?  What else doesn’t she know?” Belle probed.

“She knows that her father bit her mother all those years ago.  It happened before she was born.  But, her father and her aunt are older than I’ve let on.  Wolves live a long time.  Hell, girl, I’m older than anyone knows.  I might have stopped changing with the moon, but that doesn’t mean that I still don’t have the instincts and such.  I am as much a wolf as Red is.  She forgets that sometimes.  She’s also older than she looks.  But, I think that she’s been searching for family other than me for so long…that’s she’s forgotten who she is.  She is still trying to define herself by who made her instead of the woman that she’s become.”

“She reminds me of Emma in that respect.”

“She does.  They could learn from each other.  Well, I need to get back to work,” Granny said gruffly in the end and turned to go back to the kitchen.

“Should we go after her?” Belle asked.

“No, little one.  She’ll come back on her own.  She always does.  She needs to run.  She needs to feel.  She’ll be back.  She knows where she lays her head at night,” Granny told her before she asked her, “How long you gonna stay with her before you say something to your husband?”

“I do need to talk with him.”

“Listen, Belle.  It isn’t any of my business.  But, if you love him, you need to go back to him.  If you don’t, then you need to end it.  Trust me when I say that Red will wait for you.”

“What are you talking about?” Belle asked her, confused.

“If you have to ask me that, girl, you are blinder than I thought,” Granny replied, laughing as she re-entered the kitchen.

Outside, Rumple had been watching the three of the talk.  He could see the way that Belle was looking at Ruby.  She used to look at him like that, in the beginning.  He knew that he had screwed up and he had done so in his normal fashion: epically.  He didn’t know what to do.  He didn’t know how to make it up to Belle.  He thought about giving her something but he knew that she didn’t really like material things.  He was at a loss.

He did however manage to move out of the way of the fleeing Wolf.  He only caught a word coming from Ruby’s mouth as she left and it made his heart drop more.  If she knew that name, it meant that Belle knew that name.  And, if Belle knew that name, it meant that Regina would know it soon enough.  He didn’t understand how the sins he committed so many years ago were all catching up to him now.  What was it about his fate that had sealed this heartache for him?

“I am the Dark One,” he told himself.  “I can stop this.  I can end this, now.”

“And, how are you going to do that?” Regina asked him, as she and Will appeared before him.

“Yes, Imp, how are you going to stop whatever it is now?” Will questioned, glaring at him.

Seeing Will with Regina, Rumple knew that his time was limited.  Will would tell them everything.  Regina would side with her and come for him.  Will was the only being that could stop him and get the dagger, a dagger that Belle possessed.  He needed to get control of it again.  He needed to figure out what they all knew.

“What are you so worried about?”

Regina turned to look inside.  She saw Belle sitting alone.  She turned back to him.

“She’s going to leave you.  You know that, don’t you?  Belle is going to leave you.”

“Belle?  Princess Belle?  You know her?!?” Will asked him demandingly.

“She’s his wife,” Regina told her.

“My brother died because of your virus?  Because of her?  You really don’t know when to let go, do you?  I am so going to enjoy ending you, Imp!  I may not be able to do it today, but soon, I will exact my revenge for my family, for my people,” Will told him through clinched teeth.

She reared back like she was going to punch him.  Regina simply reached out and touched her shoulder.  She relaxed and looked into the darkened mahogany gaze.  Regina shook her head and nodded towards the diner.  Will saw that she already had her phone in hand.  She knew that Regina would call Emma as soon as they were inside.

“He isn’t worth it.  Trust me on that one.  Come on.  Let’s get some food.  I’ll call Emma and we can all talk about it.  Okay?  Let’s just go inside,” Regina suggested.

“You’re right.  He isn’t worth it.  He’ll get what’s coming to him.  Fate is a bitch, no matter how long she takes to act,” Will replied walking into the diner.

“I don’t know the full story of what you did to her, Imp and I don’t care.  I will not help you.  You’ve hurt my daughter.  You’ve come after me and my family on more than one occasion.  I will not help you, no matter what.  You’re on your own.  And, don’t even think about coming after Belle.  After Will tells her of your treachery, I doubt that Miss French…I mean Mrs. Gold will stay married to you.”

“How dare you threaten my marriage!?!” Rumple yelled at her.

“Oh, dear, I am not threatening anything.  On the contrary, I am staying out of it.  You’ve destroyed your marriage again, Rumple.  Only this time, you don’t have Hook to blame.  Why don’t you go look in the mirror?  Maybe then you’ll see the Monster that everyone else does.”


	24. Chapter 24

Rumple was angry and figured that he had every right to be.  He understood why Regina was mad at him and he even expected it.  What he wasn’t prepared for was how long Belle had been away from him on her own volition.  He didn’t understand why Belle didn’t understand his reasoning.  It all made sense.  He couldn’t believe that Belle, Regina, Wilhelmina, and possibly Emma would rise up against him.  Who were they?  He was the Dark One.

“I will show them all.  I will make them see my reasoning,” he muttered under his breath as he entered his shop.  “I will make Belle love me again.”

He went to the back of the shop.  He pulled out an ancient tome and started flipping through the pages.  He knew that love spells never worked out the way they are supposed to.  Things seemed to go good for a while before they went south very quickly. 

“Where is that damn spell?” he asked still flipping through the book.

He heard the bell over the door ding letting him know that someone had come in the store.  He closed the tome with a huff and started to make his way back towards the front of the shop.  He stopped behind the counter and stared at Emma.  She didn’t look like she was too happy.

“Look, Gold, let’s get one thing straight.  I don’t trust you.  After what you did to Coraline, I don’t know that ever will.  But, we’ve taken care of the business with the house.  I am not here to start a fight with you.  I don’t care what you want.  I don’t care what you think you need.  I am not going to help you unless it has to do with the law.  Understood?” she asked.

“Perfectly.”

“Good.  Now, I am going to find Regina and Will.  Do me a favor and don’t do anything stupid, okay?  I am not really in the mood for bull shit today,” Emma stated.

“Neither am I, Miss Swan,” he replied.

“Good.  We’re good, then?  Good,” Emma said.

“Oh, one thing, Miss Swan,” he stated.

“What?” she questioned exasperatedly.

“First, Regina and Will are in the diner.  I just saw them going in.  Secondly, I would like something returned to me that has been taken.”

“Someone stole something?  From you?  What is it?” she asked, not believing him.

“My wife,” he replied.

“Rumple, if you think that someone is hiding Belle, you’re wrong.  She left to think things over.  The fact that she has chosen to not come home to you is her choice.  No one is holding her against her will.  She hasn’t been kidnapped.  She is a free woman.  She’ll see you when she decides that she wants to see you.  Give her time.  You fucked that up on your own.  Pay your dues like everyone else would in a normal relationship.  You can’t always take what you want.  Sometimes you have to work for it.  And, trust me on this, Gold, you are going to have to work really hard to get that back.  You hurt not only her, but others that she sees as family.  You really have no one to blame but yourself.”

“You won’t help me, then?”

“Sorry, but that isn’t a legitimate complaint.  No laws have been broken.  And, no one’s been hurt.  Just let it go.  She’ll come back on her own terms.  Give her time,” Emma told him.

“We don’t have the luxury of time, Miss Swan.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing.  Nothing.  I’ll call her later.  Maybe she’s cooled off enough that she’ll talk to me.”

Emma gave him a curious look, but nodded in affirmation before leaving the store.  It hadn’t been an unpleasant visit.  It had been more businesslike than he wanted, but he understood that the Sheriff was a no nonsense kind of person.  He trusted her more than others in this town, but she was still with Regina and she was Coraline’s other mother.  She was now the enemy against his plans, as secret as they were.  He couldn’t let her know.  He’d almost slipped up and said something.  She caught it, but didn’t push the issue.  He wondered now how long he really had.

 

Belle watched as Regina and some other woman came into the diner.  They had just missed Ruby.  Regina had a strange grin on her face as she approached.  Belle wasn’t sure if she should be worried or upset by the grin she was making.  She looked down at the book and then back up at the other woman with her.  She saw the resemblance between them, but she knew enough not to say anything until someone else did.

Just as Regina and the other woman made it to her table, Ruby’s phone rang.  It was Coraline.  She was looking for Regina and someone named Will.  She assumed that the woman with Regina was the other party Coraline was looking for.  She assured Coraline that they were fine.  She told her about Ruby’s outburst and Coraline said that she would go find her.  She then warned Belle that Emma would probably be there soon because Will and Regina had disappeared.  Belle thanked her for the warning and the help with Ruby.  She sat the phone down just as Regina and Will sat down.

“Good morning, Belle,” Regina stated.

“You’re Belle?” Will asked, making a face.

“I am.  Belle French Gold, can I help you?  I am sorry, what is your name?” Belle asked.

“I am Wilhelmina Fajro.”

“Fajro…” Belle sighed with recognition.

“Yes, Fajro.  I believe that you may have met my brother once upon a time.  But, then again, I doubt that you did,” Will responded.

“I’m sorry.  I never met your brother.  I just recognized the name from some research that Regina had me doing.  It isn’t a very common family name here,” Belle replied.

“It isn’t a very common name anywhere outside my kingdom.  And, now, it is a very rare name.  May I ask what you were researching that you came across that name?”

“She was looking into your history or lack there of from the chronicles of the Enchanted Forest.”

“You were researching me?” Will asked confused.

“Yes and no.”

“Huh?”

“Snow and I saw you at the docks,” Regina stated.

It was all that Regina needed to say.  Will understood immediately.  Regina was trying to figure out how she’d come to live in the community when she didn’t come over with the Curse.  Will nodded letting her know that she knew and understood.

“I am afraid that your chronicles won’t tell you much,” Will added.

“So I’ve noticed,” Belle replied.  “I’ve found countless contracts between Vulcannonians and the royal houses.  Even found contract to help in the Ogres War, but not much on anyone named.  There were only two main names that kept popping up.”

“Which were, if I might ask?” Will inquired.

“Pyroxes and Rohan.”

“My father and brother,” Will replied.

Belle turned the tome on the table around for Will to look at it.  She pointed to the royal family picture.  Will’s eyes misted over at the family portrait.  She pointed to the man with the large crown first.

“That is my father, Pyroxes, King of Vulcannon.  This is my brother, Prince Rohan Fajro and his bride, the Princess Ulrica Cailin.  The woman to the left is my mother, Queen Cyanae Rafe.  The young looking red head there on the end is me.  I was probably around fifteen at the time.”

“That’s you?” Regina questioned.

“Yes,” Will answered.

“But, your hair…” Belle mused aloud.

“I can make it change color.”

“You can?” Regina asked.

“You knew me as a ‘fiery haired’ woman.  I’ve been brunet since I landed here.  It was easier to blend it.  I actually prefer it.  I look more like my mother this way,” Will told them as she reached up into her locks and rubbed a small lock that she’d pulled forward from the back of her head.  “This is more my natural color.”

Regina and Belle stared in utter fascination.  They couldn’t believe that she had the power to hide her hair color without dye.  Memories of Will as a brunette started to come back to Regina. 

“Cyan?” Granny asked as she came out of the kitchen and back towards the table.

“Hello, Eugenia,” Will stated, standing to greet the older woman.

“How?”

“I’m not Cyan, Eugenia.  I am her daughter.  My name is Wilhelmina Randell Fajro, Princess of Vulcannon.  Well, I guess I’m more like Queen of Vulcannon, now,” Will told her.

“You’re Cyan’s cub?”

“One of them, yes.”

“You have siblings?”

“Had siblings,” Will corrected her.

“I’m sorry,” Granny offered and gathered her in for a hug.

Emma walked in the diner.  She was surprised to see Will and Granny hugging.  She wasn’t surprised to see Regina and Belle in the booth next to them.  She smiled as she thought about what she told Rumple as she walked up to them.

“Hey,” Emma said.

“Hey,” Regina replied quickly, turning to see her behind Granny and Will.

“Will?” Emma asked as they broke their hug.

“Not now, girl, but soon we need to talk,” Granny told her.

“As you wish, Eugenia, just let me know.”

Granny just nodded and went back to the kitchen with her thoughts.  Regina and Will watched her go, wondering what she would say later.  Will sat down on the other side of the booth with Belle as Emma joined Regina.

“Why do I feel like I interrupted something?”

“You do, but it doesn’t matter right now,” Belle stated.  “What can I help you with today, Emma?  Is there something else you’d like to know?”

“Ummm…just trying to figure out why Regina and Will decided to poof out of the house.”

“We needed to talk alone,” Regina offered.

“Uh huh,” Emma replied, not convinced by her answer.

“Emma, Regina and I have a very complicate past.  She needed to make sure I was who I really am.  There are things about me that you don’t know, things that I never told you, for reasons that are my own.  I needed to apologize and unfortunately I couldn’t do it at the house.  I still have things to atone for with Regina and you may never understand that, but I need to know that you won’t pursue this.  This isn’t a case for you to work.  This is my life,” Will stated.

“I get that, Will.  I really do.  I just don’t like secrets.  You know that.  So you want to tell me what’s really going on?  Or, are we going to sit here and be awkward?”

“Emma…”

“No, Regina, don’t.  I need to tell her.  Coraline has probably already told you some of it.”

“She’s told me that you are older than you look,” Emma replied.

“I am, but…” Will stopped and looked around the diner. 

Emma could tell that she sensed something and she knew that when Will sensed something, there was usually a reason.  She looked around quickly.  Regina just nodded at Will.

“We’ll take this conversation elsewhere.  I’ve… Emma, will you trust me long enough to come with me.  I have to show you something before you’ll believe me.”

“Where are we going?” Emma asked quietly.

“We’ll go to the vault.  No one can bother us there.  And, Belle, bring the books,” Regina told her.  “We’ll go out the back and then go.”

“To your vault?  You want me to go with you to the vault?  With the books?”

“Belle, I understand your reservations, but trust me,” Emma stated.

“Alright,” Belle replied, closing the book.

Within five minutes, they were all heading out the back door.  Granny gave them a look but didn’t say anything.  Regina and she had a silent conversation.  Regina knew that they would have to invite Granny over later.  They would keep her in the loop about things going on.

Once they were outside, Regina grabbed Emma’s hand.  They held hands as they poofed to Regina’s vault.  They arrived in a furnished room that reminded Emma of Regina’s living room.

Regina immediately left them for the kitchen.  She made a pot of coffee and brought it back into the room with four cups.  She sat the tray of coffee, cream and sugar down on the table.  She reached out and poured herself and Emma a cup.  She looked up to Will and Belle.

“How do you take your coffee?”

“I don’t need any thanks though,” Will answered quickly.

Regina just nodded at her and turned to Belle more fully.  She cocked her eyebrow in question again.  Belle just shook her head.

“So…”

“You want to know more about the Vulcannonians?” Will posed.

Belle just turned and stared at her.  Emma shook her head “yes” because she was still at loss as to what was going on.  Regina sat back on the couch with her coffee and sipped it, waiting on Belle to say something. 

“Yes…”

“You do not need to be afraid of me, Belle.  I will not hurt you.  I will not hurt anyone in this town.  Well, except for possibly your husband, but that might take some time.  Time which I have been told we might not have.  So, I understand that Regina and Snow had you look into my past, but you didn’t go more than what that book told you.  Am I correct?”

“Yes,” Belle answered.

“Regina, I need to show them.”

“I’ll get you a towel,” Regina said standing up and leaving the room.

“Why does she need a towel?” Emma asked obviously perplexed.

“Because she knows what I am about to do is going to be messy.”

“Ah…wait, what you are about to do?” Emma questioned.

“Em, do me a favor.  Look and listen, but don’t question anything for a few minutes.  I know that you won’t believe me until you have proof.  And, well, our resident librarian is probably going to be a little distraught and will need your support.  Do you think that you can do that?”

Emma just nodded her head.  Regina came back into the room with a large, old and ratty, dish towel.  She handed it to Will, who smiled knowing that Regina would probably burn the thing or throw it out after this demonstration.  When she unrolled the towel, there was a ceremonial dagger inside it.  Will stared at the dagger and then at Regina, who just smirked back.

“Trust me when I say that this will only hurt for a second,” Will stated as she raised the dagger in her hand.

Emma immediately drew her side arm and pointed it at Will.  Regina just reached over and pushed her arm down.  She watched horrified as Will spread the towel over her shirt and then plunged the dagger into her own heart.  The blood spurted onto the towel and soaked in quickly.  She fell back onto the couch.  Belle jumped off the couch in horror as Emma jumped over the coffee table and grabbed at the dagger.

“Why?!?” Belle asked horrified.

“Why did she do that, Regina?  Regina?  WHY?” Emma questioned as she pulled the dagger out.

Regina said nothing.  She just pointed at the couch and sipped some more coffee.  She looked pleasantly relaxed.  Emma couldn’t believe that Will had just killed herself in front of them and Regina was drinking coffee.  She knew that Regina could be cold, but this…this was artic.

“Emma, put the dagger down,” Will told her, reaching out for her hand.

“Wha—“

“I’m fine,” Will told her.

Emma looked into her eyes.  Green meeting blue and warring to make sense of what just happened.  Belle took a step closer to the couch, but still made no move to sit down again.

“How?”

“Vulcannonians are very hard to kill,” Will offered.

“You stabbed yourself in the heart, Will!”

“I’m fine, Em.  I promise.  Remember that night at the docks.  Remember when you told me that you thought Seamus shot me.  I told you that it was a bad angle and he missed.”

“He didn’t, did he?” Emma asked.

“Nope, he got me.  I couldn’t tell you then.  You wouldn’t have believed me.  And, I had no idea about your lineage.  I thought you were an orphan like you said.  I helped you with the checks on your parents, remember?  I had no idea that you were related to anyone from this town, then.”

“Strangely enough, I believe you.  But, couldn’t you have done something else?  Like less bloody to prove your indestructible or something?” Emma asked.

“This is the easiest thing to do.  Every creature, fantastic or not, knows that a dagger to the heart means death.  Would you have let me shot myself?” Will asked in her defense.

“No, that would have made a bigger mess,” Emma joked.

“Sorry about the towel, Majesty,” Will said cleaning off the dagger and handing her the soiled towel and dagger in separate hands.

Regina simply leaned over the table and took the cloth in one hand, the dagger in the other.  Before she leaned back, the cloth went up in flames and the dagger disappeared.  Emma assumed that Regina had poofed it back to wherever it came from or to her vault.  She was still in a bit of shock, but it was nothing like the shock that Belle was in.  Emma tried to give her a reassuring look, but she knew that it wasn’t helping the librarian.

“Is that why my father chose your brother?” Belle asked her.

“I am sorry?” Will asked.

“My father hired Rojan to get me back from Rumple.  Did he do it because you’re immortal?  Or, was there some other reasoning?” Belle questioned.

“I cannot speak for your father’s reasoning behind signing a contract with my older brother.  Belle, I wish I could tell you, but I can’t.  I know that Rojan went to Rumple’s castle to confront him, but when he came back he wasn’t the same.  I don’t know what happened, but he wouldn’t talk about it,” Will told her.

“I may have an idea,” Belle replied.

Regina, Emma and Will looked at her expectantly.  Belle knew they were waiting for the tale, but she wasn’t sure how much of it was truth and how much she had just come up with while she had been imprisoned at Rumple’s castle.  She wasn’t sure that they would understand.

“Look Belle, we all know that you have suffered from some sort of Stockholm syndrome from your time with him.  It’s understandable.  But when you were free, you left and came back.  You tried to help him change.  Well, at least you did until I scooped you up that day.”

“I know.”

“Don’t feel bad about loving him.  You saw the redeemable side of him.  You did everything that you could to make him see that love wasn’t a burden.” Regina added.

“It’s too bad that he has turned his back on it,” Emma stated.

“I am coming to realize that it doesn’t matter how much he actually loves me.  He will always quest for more power.  He is consumed by it.  It has become his drug.  He had to have magic back.  He brought it back as soon as the curse ended because he needed it.  It was a selfish act.”

“He still saved Henry and all of us from Pan,” Emma offered.

“Pan?  For real?  Y’all sure do get around,” Will added.

“You have no idea,” Regina replied.

“He might have killed his own father to save us all.  I’m just not sure what his real motivation was behind it.  He was happy to die because he got Bae back.  With Bae dead and there being no way to bring him back, saving going back in time, he didn’t care.  He could never be truly happy again.  His whole mission in life was power and finding his son.  He found Bae, Neal, and then he died to save Rumple.  Rumple tried to bury himself in our love, but I knew from the beginning that he was broken.  Bae’s death almost destroyed him.  Ever since then, he has been looking for more power.  I think he is trying to find a way to bring him back,” Belle stated.

“You can’t bring people back from the dead,” Regina cautioned.

“I know that and so does he,” Belle stated.

“As he told me, in the past: ‘Dead is dead,’ Emma added.

“I don’t even have that power.  I fear that he might think that I can.  He tried it once.”

“What?” Regina asked quietly almost breathy, obviously shocked by the statement.

Will just looked at her.  She had disappeared so many times from Regina’s side while she was in her service.  She would never be gone long enough for Regina to notice and she always had the King’s permission.  She had forgotten to explain herself to Regina when she had return from Rumple’s after one of her Vulcannon visits.  Life had gotten in the way of the contract and she didn’t mind because she had never violated the terms of the contract with her.  Until the end...

“Rumple tried to kill you?” Regina asked.

“No, he didn’t try to kill me.  He knew that he couldn’t.  He used me to further his agenda.  He had me give him things that I wouldn’t have had I been in the right mindset when he asked for them,” Will explained.

“Such as?” Belle asked.

“My mother’s cloak, my father’s cloak, and a lock of Regina’s hair,” Will stated.

Regina’s face betrayed nothing of the information.  Emma saw the anger in her eyes, but saw her stoic resolve masking her true emotions.  It was a normal “queenly/mayoral” feature.  Belle however didn’t hide her shock at the knowledge.  She visible gasped as she stared all Will.

“That is how he cast the blood curse, then,” Belle said resolutely.

“Yes,” Regina answered for her.

Will watched Regina’s eyes.  They always betrayed her, all least for Will.  They had been so close once...  But, it had been a lifetime ago and people change.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t know why he wanted it.  I just had to leave.”

“I understand.  Had I known, I would have found it and destroyed it.  We both know how well Rumple will manipulate you for his own gains, dear.  Do not worry about it.  It just gives me another reason to destroy him if he decides to rise up against the community.  No, Belle, I am not going to kill him, now.  I have promised both you and Coraline that I won’t.  I keep my word.”

Belle nodded at her.  She wasn’t sure if she should be grateful for that or not.  She wasn’t sure what Regina would do, but she knew that with Regina and Emma that they were stronger together.  They would have to take Rumple on together to destroy them.  Or, Belle could just give them the dagger.  She worried that if she gave them the dagger that Regina would become the new Dark One and she would give into the darkness.

Regina shook her head.  She could tell what Belle’s thoughts were.  Emma cocked her head in question, but before she could say anything, Regina did.  It would be enough to assuage their fears.  Regina didn’t want the dagger.  She didn’t want the power anymore.  She wanted her family to be safe and taken care of.  If she had to destroy Rumple to get that, then she would, but she wouldn’t assume his power.

“I would find another way, Belle.  I will not let myself or anyone else become the Dark One.  That power stops with him.  No one needs that much power.  No one needs that much darkness.”

“Thank you,” Belle replies, simply.

Regina stands up.  She picks up the tray and heads towards the kitchen.  She is effectively leaving Will with Emma and Belle, knowing that they all need to talk.  They need to understand more about what being Vulcannonian means.  Regina knew.  She knew all too well.

She was still trying to steady herself around Will.  She was fighting urges long buried.  She didn’t expect that her reunion with Will would be easy, but she didn’t expect to feel the way she did.  She was actually afraid of herself and she didn’t like it.

She began to wash the dishes, not paying attention to the fact that Emma had come in behind her.  Emma had come to help her.  She knew that Belle and Will had plenty of questions for each other, especially when it came to Will’s old brother Rojan.  It was a sore subject for both of them and one that they needed to get passed so they could continue to work on defeating the coming Blackness.  Emma just knew that Will would help them.  She loved Coraline too much not to.

Emma wrapped her arms around Regina’s waist and kissed her just below her right ear.  Regina melted a little into before she straightened herself.  Emma could feel the Queen taking over.  She kissed down her neck from her ear to the collar bone, never breaking the lip to skin contact.

“Emma…”

“Tell me about her,” Emma stated.

“About who?”

“Will.”

“What do you want to know?”

“‘You said that she was your servant,” Emma started.

“She is.”

“But, yet, she didn’t come with you during the Curse.  I would have thought with someone as important as she was to you that you would have brought her with you.  You would have wanted her close to your side, to protect you and to help you revel in your success and almost happiness.”

“I would have.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“She’d run away before I ever thought to cast the Curse.” Regina answered.

“She ran from you?”

“I don’t know that it was from me, Emma.  And, that bothers me on so many levels.  I don’t want it to, but it does.  We were very close, but our relationship was very, very complicated.”

“Okay, then tell me about it,” Emma stated.

“I can’t...  it is just that...  She loves Coraline.  And, her love for Coraline complicates things more than I realized.  I care for them both.  I don’t want Coraline to get hurt because of something that I did in my past,” Regina replied.

“I am sure that it won’t, Regina.  You need to let the past go if you are going to keep moving forward.  We both need you to do this,” Emma tells her as she moves her hand to the space below her stomach, but between her hips.  “Because Coraline could already be in there.  We need to make sure that our love will be strong enough for her and for us, Regina.  Nothing else matters but our family.  Are you willing to risk that?”

“Never.”

“Good, because I am not either.”

“You should talk with Wilhelmina, Dear,” Regina suggested.

“Why?”

“Because I can tell that there is something between the two of you,” Regina told her.

“She saved me, Regina.  That is all.  She taught me a trade.  She helped me move on from Neal and prison.  She saved me.  She helped me become a better person,” Emma told her.

“Then she needs to know that.”

“Why?” Emma asked.

“Because you are still her friend and she is in love with our daughter.  Do you think that it is easy for her?  She is still bound to me by contract and you by friendship.  You have to admit that her loving Coraline has to be slightly strange”

“It’s no different than me loving you,” Emma replied.

And for an instant, Regina believes her.  She gives a half laugh because it was true.  They were all around the same age.  But, Emma doesn’t know how Regina abused her and Wilhelmina willingly took the abuse.  She can’t.  Will would have never told her that.  And now, she knows that Will never will.  She has sworn to keep their secret.

But, Emma is Emma.  She will find out.  And, Regina doesn’t know how to stop it.  Part of her doesn’t want to stop it.  Part of her wants to tell Emma everything because she knows that it will help her find some absolution and it will help her heart feel lighter and heal.  Emma just wouldn’t understand.  The contract is still binding.  Wilhelmina is still hers, even in this world.  Will would bow to her and ask for her permission…for anything and everything.

“Regina?” Emma asked, feeling the tension building again.

“Talk to Will, please.  She can help you understand.  She can tell you things I can’t.”

“Like what?”

“Why we had our contract,” Regina tells her, dropping the cups into the water in the sink.

“What is it, Regina?”

“Talk with her, please.  If you have any questions, I will answer them.  But, it should come from her first.  If nothing else, talk to her about Coraline.”

“What do I need to talk to her about, Regina?”

“She is our daughter and they are together...or whatever it is.  You need to talk to her.  You are the more...you know what I mean,” Regina told her.

“I don’t actually.  Because that, all of it, made no sense, Regina.  What the Hell are you trying to tell me?”

“You need to talk to them both.  You need to find out what Will’s intentions are with Coraline.  I don’t want her getting hurt.  They both would not like the outcome.”

“Regina, chill.”

“I will not ‘chill,’ Emma.  She is our daughter.  She is our responsibility.  We have to take care of her, Emma.  We have to make sure that she is okay.  We aren’t there for her later...”

“Regina, whoa.  Calm down.  I’ll go talk with Will, but it won’t be about that.  I’ll talk to her though.  Coraline is a grown woman.  She can make her own choices, even if I don’t agree with them.  And, obviously, you don’t agree with them, but we can’t stifle her now.  We’ve lost the right.  All we can do is love her and tell her how much we love her,” Emma told her.

“I know.”

“Then, I’ll go and talk with Will, okay?”

“Yes, Dear.   I’ll be okay.  Go and talk with Will.”

Emma gave her a big squeeze and kissed her neck.  She let her go, knowing that they would have to talk about all of this again later, alone.  Regina needed her space to think at the moment.  Emma understood that.  Regina needed to process everything that she had learned in the past few weeks.  It was a lot to take in, especially since they knew that they were all fantastic in origin.  It was something else when you were confronted with it and made to face it like this.

They needed each other.  They all did.  Each of them had their own special magic or talent that they brought to the mix.  They could only hope that it would be enough to help them deal with the Blackness that was coming.  And, they knew it would be soon.

Emma turned in the door way and looked at Regina.  She was beautiful.  It didn’t matter that she was tragically flawed.  They all were, but Regina had turned it around.  She was making up for her past mistakes.  She was proof that not everything was black and white and Emma thanked whatever deity brought them all together that she leaned a little more to the gray side of things.

She closed her eyes and hoped that they would find a way.  She didn’t want Regina to be alone.  She deserved her happy ending and Emma was glad that it was her.  She stared at her back and hoped that she was pregnant, because it could mean they had a chance this time.  They were changing things.  She knew that they were.  She could hope that it would be enough.  She knew that Coraline was holding back on how had things really were or it could just be that she had the flawed memories of a child.  Either way, Emma was determined to save her family...all of it.

 

“Will you speak with me, alone?” Emma asked Will during the lull between insights with Belle.

“If you wish, yes.  I am sure that you have plenty of questions to ask me.  I am not sure that my answers will make you feel any better, Emma.  But, I will do what I can for you.”

“That is all I ask,” Emma stated.

“Do you want to talk about Coraline as well?”

“Is there something that we need to talk about?” Emma asked.

“I love her, Emma.”

“I know.  How else could you have hurt her so completely?  She loves you, too.”

“You aren’t upset?” Will asked her.

“Should I be?”

“You’re her mother.  I would think that you would have some sort of objection to me.  You know me better than most in this town, Emma.  You know me as well as Regina and Snow do.  And, yet, you aren’t going to say anything to me about it?” Will questioned.

“A few weeks ago, I would have.  Trust me on that, but I have had time to think it through.  I wouldn’t be doing anyone favors.  I know how well I reacted to my parents trying to parent me.  I wasn’t there for her during her formative years, but from what I’ve seen, Red and Belle did right by her.  She is a strong, sensitive survivor.  She unfortunately reminds me of me.”

“I can see that,” Will replied with a slight laugh.

“Can you really?”

“Trust me when I say that isn’t what attracted me to her, Emma.  I can see you in her, but she isn’t you.  She is her own person.  She has made her way in her world.  She is trying to find her way here.  She didn’t ask for any of this.  She was just as surprised as I was that we fell for each other.  I respect you and Regina.  I don’t want to hurt her.”

“Then don’t,” Emma said simply.

“I wish it was that simple.”

“It can be, Will.  If you love her, love her.  If you don’t, let her go and let her find her happiness.  There is no honor in holding on because you think that you have to do it,” Emma told her.

“I would never do that,” Will replied.

“I know that.  Besides, I am sure that Regina has already threatened you.  She is a little more... defensive when it comes to the kids.  I know that you know her power.  I know that you fear it.  I know that you know what she could do to you, if she chose.  She hasn’t and she won’t.  She actually came to me and talked with me about Coraline,” Emma stated.

“Why?”

“Because I can uniquely understand my daughter’s position.”

“I would say so, but you didn’t go to the past,” Will stated.

“Actually I did.  I kinda rewrote how my parents met.  Almost stopped myself from being born, it wasn’t a great experience, but it wasn’t a horrible one either.  But, it also gave me a healthy respect for not wanting to time travel anymore.  I may not completely forgive my parents for sending me here and my upbringing, but I understand why they did it.  I also understand why Coraline does, but doesn’t, want to forgive both me and Regina for leaving her,” Emma said.

“Have you talked with her about that?” Will asked.

“Not really.  I know that I should, but I am scared that I won’t like the answers.  Plus, we don’t know if anything that she is doing here is going change anything.  If it doesn’t, she is going to have to wait over twenty years from losing us to find out anything more about us.  She was angry with us for dying.  She didn’t understand that we did it to protect her.  Now, being here, seeing us, learning about all our histories and what we are willing to do for our family, she sees it.  She understands it.  I don’t dare to think that she totally forgives us, but she is on her way to finding a way to live with it all,” Emma replied.

“Does that make you happy?”

“She makes me happy.  I am sorry that I won’t be there for her.  That is why we are fighting so hard to find a way to stop this Blackness.  I don’t know what it is.  Regina doesn’t either.  And from what little information that Coraline can actually remember from fighting it as a child, I don’t know that we will ever truly be prepared for it.  And, that alone, is my greatest fear now.”

“I understand.  I will do what I can for her…for you…for everyone.  We will find a way to defeat it.  I will not let her be alone.  I promise you that,” Will swore to her.

“Calm down, Will.  You aren’t even there.  She has never mention of you from her past.  I don’t know that you are there to help.  You might die, too, for all we know.  This Blackness is not like any curse that the Forest has ever seen or fought.  The truth is we don’t know anything.”

“I need to talk with the Queen,” Will stated.

“Regina?”

“Yes, I need to talk with her Majesty,” Will said.

“Here we just call her Mayor,” Emma joked, punching Will in the arm.

Will nodded and turned to leave the room.  She stopped in the doorway and turned to face Emma again.  She could see the confusion in her eyes about the relationship that she had with Regina.

“I am her servant, Emma.  Nothing more, I swear to you.  My heart belongs to Coraline.”

Emma gives her a slight grin and bobs her head in understanding fashion.  Will leaves the room this time.  Emma sits down on the couch and stares at the fire place.  She wills it to light and it does.  She silently congratulates herself for doing on the first try.

“I see you’ve been practicing,” Regina tells her, coming to join her on the couch.

“I have.”

“Do I need to be worried about Will, Regina?”

“Only if she hurts Coraline,” Regina replied.

“Will you tell me what she is to you?  I need to know.  Make me understand it,” Emma told her, but Regina can hear the desperation in her voice.

“She is nothing more to me than a personal knight.”

“You sure?”

“Very,” Regina replied.

“She calls you ‘Majesty’,” Emma stated.

“I know.”

“You don’t correct her,” Emma replied.

“I … I will always be her queen.”

“Why?”

“Because of the contract between us.”

“Will you release her?”

“That remains to be seen,” Regina stated, standing and making her way to the mantle.

She stares at the fire.  So many memories come flooding in her brain.  She doesn’t want to hurt Emma, but she knows that if she tells Emma the complete truth, she will.  Their relationship was new.  Her relationship with Will is crazily complicated.  She sighs, conjures a shot of whiskey and drinks it quickly.  She turns around to see Emma stalking up behind her.

“Tell me, Regina.  Make me understand it.  I don’t care.  I know that it was your past, but make me understand it.  I need to know…I need to know for Coraline’s sake,” Emma stated.

“Very well…”


	25. Chapter 25

“WILL!!!”  Emma yelled following her out of the vault and through the cemetery.

Will didn’t stop.  She knew that if Emma caught, she might actually try to beat her.  She didn’t want to hurt Emma, but she knew that the truth about her relationship with Regina would.  It wasn’t every day that you found out that the woman you love was once part of an abusive relationship.  She was sure that Emma would be angry.  She’d left as soon as she knew that Regina would tell her the truth.  She'd run out of the vault because she couldn’t face Emma.

She wasn’t sure if it was because she ashamed of what she and Regina had shared.  She wasn’t sure why she was running from Emma, but she knew she was.  She figured somewhere in her head that if Emma thought the wrong things about the relationship that she had with Regina, then she could imagine what Emma thought about her budding relationship with Coraline.  They weren’t the same.  Hell, Will and Emma weren’t the same that they had been years ago. 

“WILL!!!  WAIT!!!  WILL!!!”  Emma shouted again.

Finally, Will stopped.  She’d made it the edge of the cemetery.  She turned around and faced Emma.  She was bracing for the hit that never came.  She flinched for a minute, and then opened her eyes.  When her sapphire eyes met Emma’s emerald, she didn’t see anger.  She saw understanding, compassion, love and…friendship.  Emma wasn’t angry with her.

“Wait, damn it.  I don’t want to have to chase you all the way to town.  Wait…oh, you stopped.”

“Yeah, I stopped,” Will replied.

“Why did you run?  What is it about your relationship with Regina that you don’t want me to know?  Will, it’s okay if y’all did something or were closer than friends.  It was years ago.  You two are obviously special to each other, but I don’t think that you are lovers in the traditional sense.  It’s okay.  Do you remember the night that you took me on the Belletti job?”

“Belletti?”

“The crazed ex-wife and the submissive husband,” Emma replied.

“Need a little more than that.  You know that we took some crazy cases besides getting the bail jumpers.  Needed to keep the cash coming in.  So what was the Belletti case?”

“That was the one where we ended up in BFE at some leather guy’s house.  He took one look at us and knew that we weren’t there for the party.  We were a little over dressed,” Emma hinted.

“Oh…my…god…I had forgotten about that night.”

“Yeah, well, I want to, but I can’t,” Emma stated.

“We did get an eyeful,” Will laughed.

“I showered like twenty times when I got back to my apartment.”

“I never thought you would be one that would shun good kink, Emma,” Will stated.

“I wasn’t.  I am not.  It was just there was so much…in that house that I wasn’t sure whose or what I touched.  I just wanted it all to go away.  Don’t get me wrong.  Playing in the bedroom keeps things spicy, but that house…that was a damn dip into straight habanero sauce with a Tabasco chaser.  I’ll stick with my jalapenos any day.  That was just…”

“Too much, too fast?” Will asked.

“Uh…yeah.”

“You have questions about something?” Will asked her, trying to get Emma to say something about the strangeness of the relationship between her and Regina.

“I want to say I understand, but I wasn’t there.  I don’t really know what to say to what she told me.  I want to ask questions, but I don’t know where to start.”

“It doesn’t matter.  Just ask whatever you want.  I am not going to hold anything back from you.  I can’t.  I won’t.  I owe you both the truth, regardless of what I think.  I owe it to you because you have both given me Coraline,” Will answered.

“I don’t think that we have given her to anyone,” Emma replies quickly.

“You know what I mean, Em.  I want to do right by you and Regina.  I know that I am going to have to prove myself to both of you.  I know that I am going to have make amends with Regina for leaving her the way that I did, but I love Coraline.  I will do anything for her.”

“I know.”

“What?” Will asked confused.

“She told me what you did for her with my grandfather.  If you are willing to do that for a woman that you work for and care about, then I can only imagine what you will do for Coraline.  I know that you love her.  I know that you will take care of her.  I have seen it.”

“But, you still have some reservations?” Will asked her.

“I am not sure Will.  I need to think about this.  I need to process everything.”

“I get that,” Will stated.

“Can we talk later?”

“Sure.”

“I need to go finish talking to Regina.  When I’m done with that, I’ll call you after.  Does that work?” Emma asked her.

“Sure.”

“Will, we’ll get together.  I promise.  I just need to…just give me some time.  We need to talk.”

“I have no doubt in that, Emma.  You always were one to seek answers to questions that others dared not to ask.  It is one of the reasons that I chose you in Tallahassee.  I could see the fear of the unknown and the willingness to seek answers.  You were perfect for the job.”

“I guess we’ll talk about that, too,” Emma told her with a small laugh.  “But, seriously, Will, I am going to need time to process this whole thing of you belonging to Regina.  I mean, people don’t just own people here.  It is weird and the longer I see y’all together the weirder you both get about it.  I wish that there was something else that I could say about it.”

“It isn’t your fault, Emma.  I know that this was sprung on you and not exactly in a manner that I preferred.  But, know this and don’t take this the wrong way, okay?” Will asked her.

“I’ll try my best.”

“You know that your mother gave me to Regina.”

“Yeah, as a wedding present.”

“Well, let’s just say that your grandfather was a shrewd man.  He wanted to make sure that Snow was still protected if anything happened to him or to Regina.  He made it abundantly clear in the contract with Regina,” Will told her.

“How so?”

“If Regina was to die, for any reason, I was to revert back to Snow’s possession.  Regina never saw that clause, I am sure.  And, I never had reason to tell her about it.”

“So what does that matter now?” Emma asked her.

“You are Snow’s daughter,” Will replied.

“So?”

“That means, that I will revert to your line’s possession, regardless of the fact that Henry is Regina’s legally. He is still of your line.  Which means that should something ever happen to Regina, I would become Snow’s property.  When Snow dies, I would be yours.  When you die, I would become Henry’s.  So no matter what, Henry and Coraline would be protected.”

“But, Coraline doesn’t know who the Hell you are.  And, we all die in her future.  So, what the hell does that mean?”

“It means that something happens to me.  And, I dare say, that the only one that could truly hurt me would be Rumple.  I doubt that he will act on it, though.  He has already tried and failed several times with my life.  But, for whatever reason, I was not there.”

“If you weren’t there, it was because Coraline hadn’t come back from the future, yet.”

“We don’t know that, Emma.  There is too much at stake her. I need to consult some of my things.  I will not let your family suffer for my mistakes.  I will not let Regina suffer any more than she already has.  Have no doubts in me, Princess, we will find a way,” Will told her.

“Will?”

“Yeah?”

“Where you going?  Town is that way.  There is nothing out there but woods.”

“I know.  It is the perfect place to think and sort through some of my memories.  Besides, I think that I might find a young relative that might need some help.  She is hurting, but only because she was protected from a truth that not many now.  I need to go to her.”

“Call me later, then.  We’ll set something up.  I think that you, Regina and I need to talk.”

 

_Regina sat on her bed waiting for Will to return from the practice fields.  True to her word, the King hadn’t called on Regina for a week since their last liaison.  Regina didn’t know if she wanted to know why or just be thankful that Will had her best interests in mind.  She stood up and crossed the room.  She had to admit to herself that when Will was around she wasn’t lonely._

_“Majesty, forgive me for being late,” Will said as she entered the Queen’s chambers._

_Regina turned to face her.  She couldn’t stop the smile that crossed her face.  Will saw it and returned it.  She bypassed Regina for a moment and went into her rooms to change tunics and shirts.  She wasn’t that surprised when Regina followed her into her rooms and sat on her bed._

_“I take it that training was good today by the amount of mud you are caked in,” Regina stated slightly amused by the disarray of the normally stoic knight._

_“It was interesting to say the least.  The men learn quickly, but aren’t sure that my advice is the best to follow at first.  I think it usually takes them three good falls before they realize that me being a woman doesn’t mean that I don’t know what I am talking about.  The older soldiers and knights know what being a Vulcannonian means because of the Ogre’s War.  They trust me the first time.  But, I guess we both know something about being where we are and not being taken seriously because of our sex, don’t we?” Will asked._

_“That we do.”_

_“How is the house staff today?” Will questioned as she stripped out of her tunic and white sword shirt, throwing them into the corner of her room._

_“Still unsure of that do with me.  Ever since the King came back early, they think that I cannot do anything without his input.  I wish there was a way than I could prove myself to them.”_

_“Maybe I can arrange for something for you, Majesty,” Will stated pulling a black sword shirt out of her wardrobe and pulling it on._

_She grabbed a new tunic and put it on.  She left it open and didn’t lace it up, leaving it hanging like a long vest.  Next, she pulled off her boots and replaced them with a pair of wool-lined slippers that had a hardened sole and small heel.  They resembled “house shoes.” She sat in the one chair that her room was afforded and watched Regina as her thoughts danced across her face._

_“And, do what, Will?  They know that you are at my beck and call.  They know that you will do as I ask.  They are afraid of you at the same time.  Why do you think that no one has questioned you when you command them?” Regina questioned her._

_“I figured it was just because I am your servant, Majesty, nothing more.”_

_“That is only part of it, Will.  They respect you.  They trust you because they have heard whispers of the prosperous nature of the Vulcannonian Knights.  They have no reason to trust me.  Why should they?  I am just a girl who happens to be queen,” Regina stated._

_“No, Regina, you are a woman that is Queen.  There is a difference.  Maybe, we need to remind them of that,” Will told her._

_“And, how do we do that?”_

_“You can reprimand me.”_

_“Punish you?”_

_“Yes, we both know that I can take it.  It won’t hurt me, but it will make a statement.  They will have something to talk about and they will realize that their Queen is their Queen and they should obey her word just like the King’s.”_

_“You want me to hit you in public?” Regina inquired, scared of her own voice._

_“It wouldn’t hurt me.”_

_“They’ll wonder about my sanity for that.”_

_“Not if I make sure to give you cause for the incident,” Will stated._

_“You would subject yourself to that.  Why?  Why would you do that for me?”_

_“Because, it is my job, Majesty.  I am to cure for your well-being.  If the palace staff doesn’t believe that they have to listen to their Queen, why should the kingdom?  You need assert yourself as royalty to them.  They won’t listen if you don’t make them.  I am not saying he abusive.  Far from it.  But, if you don’t establish yourself as being in command, they will never give you the respect of your status.”_

_“Am I to refer to you as ‘Highness’ then?”_

_“Not unless you wish, Majesty,” Will said honestly._

_“I don’t think that it will help me any if I did.  Why is it that Snow could get away with it and I can’t?  What is it about her that they love?”_

_“She is the King’s daughter.  She is in the hearts of the people because they have watched her grown up before them.  You are new to them.  They need to learn more about the woman that saved their beloved princess.  I was just her servant like I am for you.  They don’t treat me any differently, now.  You need to show them that you are a benevolent woman that is capable of loving them and ruling them at the same time.”_

_“How do I do that?”_

_“You need to prove yourself.”_

_“How can I do that with the King here?” Regina asked._

_“Leave that to me, Regina.  I will make enough of a diversion for him.  I’ll get him to leave.  I’ll stay here with you and we will deal with some sort of incident.  We will have the people see that their Queen is capable of ruling them,” Will stated._

_“Do I want to know what you are going to do?”_

_“Probably not, Regina.  I don’t want any of it coming back on you.  I will tell you before I leave.  I don’t want the King to visit you while I am gone.  Maybe, I can cause enough of a distraction that you will have to come with me.  We should take our own tour of the countryside.  How far does your mother’s spell let you travel without the King being there?”_

_“A town over to the east and that is only because my mother had an old friend than lived there.”_

_Hours later, Will returned to Regina’s rooms.  She had stayed inside like Will advised her to do.  She was still wondering what Will is going to do.  She was wondering so much about the situation.  She was still unsure of so much when it came to Will and what it means that she owns her.  Regina didn’t know what to really do with her.  She just smiled as Will sat down near her._

_“Are you not afraid of the King, Will?” Regina asked her._

_“To be honest, no, I am not.  You’ve seen that I cannot be hurt.  There is nothing that he can do to truly hurt me except hurt you.  He knows that depending on what I tell my father it could disastrous for him.  He won’t push me.  I won’t push him.  Such is the way of politics,” Will said taking a healthy drink of Regina’s cider.  “You must tell me how you make this.  It is delicious.”_

_“It is my father’s recipe and a family secret.  I will only share it with my children, if I ever have any.  I think that my mother cursed me in that department.  But, then there is fact that I haven’t lain with the King in months.  Do you think he suspects?”_

_“Suspects what, Regina?”_

_“Do you think than he suspects us, Will?”_

_“Why would he?  We haven’t given him any cause.  I go to him, pretending to be you, he has his way with me, beats me if he feels the need, and then I leave when he is done.  There is no way that he would know it is me, unless you have gone to him without me knowing.  And, I very much doubt that you would do that,” Will told her crossing the room to the balcony where Regina was standing._

_They study the scene before them.  The King is in the throne room with Snow.  He looks every bit the benevolent and loving king that he is.  He is the doting father of the Princess.  He doesn’t look like a monster.  But, both women on the balcony know the heaviness of his hand, the pain of his words, the sting of his touch, the foulness of his body, and his fondness for depravity._

_“Has he said anything to you?” Will asked her feeling the fear flowing off of her._

_“No, he stays away like you said he would.  He smiles for the Court.  He pretends to be the best husband that he can be with me.  But, it is obvious that I am not Queen Ava and I do not control his full heart.  The staff knows it.  They treat me with respect now, though.  Thank you for that,” Regina said stepping away from the balcony and heading towards her vanity._

_Will turned around.  She finished her cider and sat it down on a nearby table.  She then crossed the room in three powerful strides before sitting down on the chaise across from Regina’s vanity.  She laid hack and stared at the stone ceiling.  She was reminded of her rooms back in Vulcannon._

_“I wish we could see the stars here,” Will mused aloud, still staring upwards._

_Regina turned on the chair she was sitting to face Will, placing her hairbrush back on the vanity before her.  There was always some sort of innocence and reverence on Will’s face.  She was always stoic, but it was times like these that made Regina happy.  When her wonderment shined through and she seemed almost human, Will was more approachable and seemed more real to Regina._

_“We can’t here, but I know where we can go.”_

_Will sat up and stared at her.  Her eyes were dancing.  It seemed any chance that they could be outdoors, Regina jumped on it as fast as Will did.  They were perfectly matched for each other._

_Anyone around them would have thought that they were in love, but they weren’t.  They were just close and enjoying a friendship that neither had had before.  They were BFFs and they didn’t even know it.  Regina did as she asked, but so much more.  And, Will cared about her.  It was enough for both them.  They didn’t need anything else from each other…then._

_“I would take you to the village tonight, but I have to go.”_

_“Where?” Regina questioned._

_“I have to make sure that the King leaves tomorrow and his knightly errand.”_

_“What did you do?” Regina finally asks with a hint of amusement._

_“I created a large enough diversion that he couldn’t help but go to and handle.”_

_“You aren’t going to tell me.”_

_“It would be easier for you if I didn’t….  Just stay in your rooms tonight.  I have let the staff know that you are unwell and aren’t to be bothered until the morrow.  Let it go for tonight, Majesty.  And, tomorrow, you will have at least a fortnight of peace.  I’ll come for you us soon as I get back.  Rest now and take it easy.  All will be well,” Will told her as she stood._

_“You’ll be back tonight?”_

_“I will be back as soon as I can.”_

_“Be careful,” Regina warned._

_“I’m Vulcannonian.  I don’t have to be careful,” Will told her and was given a glare.  “I’ll be fine, Majesty.  Just make sure to stay in your rooms or bed if your husband comes calling before I return.  I’ll be back before you can miss me too much.”_

_And, with her final statement, Will left.  Regina got up from the vanity and headed to her bookshelf.  At least she could read to pass the time until Wilhelmina returned.  It was a small comfort from home and one she was glad that her father allowed her to bring with her and the King let her keep.  She smiled knowing that he would he visiting soon._

_She lay down on the chaise with book in hand and sighed.  If Wilhelmina’s plan succeeded, she would have the castle to herself for two weeks or more.  Her father would visit and she would be happy.  It was all too perfect in her world, but it didn’t stop her from hoping for it all._

_She would deal with Snow being there.  She didn’t have a choice in that, but she did have a choice on who she spent her time with.  She would stay with Will and her father for the majority of the time that the King was away on his “errand.” And, she could be happy for a while._

_She lay buck on the chaise and decided that they would go to King’s Town first.  She missed her little sister and even though her mother had fallen through the looking glass, she still feared for the girl’s life.  Her over protective grandmother was fine with Regina and Will coming to visit, but she knew that she would never let her father near the girl.  She hoped that the little darling of a girl was doing well.  She would have to see if Granny, as everyone called her, had the child in a school.  If not, Regina would arrange it.  She wouldn’t have any sibling of hers, full blood or not, not knowing how to read and write.  It wouldn’t be right._

_No, Red would be given everything that she could.  Regina would make sure of that.  She made sure that they had food, their taxes were paid, and that had plenty.  She wouldn’t let her suffer._

Earlier in the day, Regina and Emma had been in the mock house under the vault.  They had been talking about the past when Will had run out.  Emma heard the door to the rooms slam and then the heavy vault doors.  She couldn’t understand why her friend was running but she was afraid that Regina did.  After her talk with Regina, Emma went back down into the vault.  She saw her sitting in the living room with Belle sipping tea.  She looked relaxed and content.

“What happened?” Regina asked her.

“She needed to get some air,” Emma lied.

“You want to know more?” Regina inquired over her cup of tea.

“Yes, I do.  I want to understand what happened.  I know you don’t think that it is important, and it may not be, but then again, it might be exactly what we need to know,” Emma stated.

“I’ll see you two later.  I am going to go back to Ruby’s and study this lineage a little more.  It doesn’t look like Cyanae Rafe was young enough to be Ruby’s true aunt.  Plus, I think Granny has some more information for me.  I’ll just go talk to her,” Belle told them as she took her leave of them and the vault. 

She could tell that they needed to be alone when neither of them made a move to stop her.  They needed to talk about what it meant for Wilhelmina to be Regina’s Vulcannonian.  Emma had some idea what it meant to be Vulcannonian but she still understand the full aspects of Will be under contract with Regina.

“Regina?”

“What, Emma?”

“Can you tell me more about Will’s contract with you?  I need to know.  I need to understand.”

“Because this effects more than us?”

“Yes, it effects Coraline too.”

“I know that.  I’ve thought of that.  Emma…I just don’t know what to do.”

“Tell me everything that you can,” Emma pleaded.

“She is my knight.  She is my slave.  She is mine.  There really isn’t any more to say.  She loves Coraline and wants to be with her, but I am not sure that I have the want to release her.  I know that sounds horrible, but I feel like I need her for some reason.  I feel drawn to her, Emma.”

“Like you are to me?”

“No, nothing like that.  I do love her, Emma, but not like that.  It has never been about love.  Neither of us understood love or companionship.  We’ve always been searching for it.  We aren’t made for each other, but it looks like we are.  We get each other, the rage, the darkness, the pain.  It is just that seeing her…it has brought back some memories and some issues that I haven’t exactly dealt with.  I don’t think that I am ready to deal with them either.  I need to, but I don’t want to.  I am going to need both of you in different ways.  I am going to need your love.  I am going to need her body.”

“What?”

“She is Vulcannonian and cannot die.”

“What did you do to her?” Emma asked.

“I whipped her.”

“To ease your anger?” Emma questioned.

“Among other things,” Regina answered. 

 

Belle walked into the house that she shared with Rumple.  It was quiet and dark.  She wasn’t sure that she should be there alone, but she was afraid that if she brought anyone with her that he would do something because he was angry.  She wasn’t sure that he still wouldn’t do something with it just being her there, but she needed to take the chance.

While she had been sitting on the couch in Regina’s vault-hidden living room, she’d remembered a stack of parchments that Rumple kept locked away.  They were old and in various languages from the various kingdoms around the Enchanted Forest or FTL, as Emma called it.  It was a land of Fairy Tales.  But, Belle couldn’t help but wonder if their stories would ever have a truly happy ending.  They had all been torture, taken, lost their love, found love and still they all continued to fight for a destiny that always seemed ever allusive.

She sighed as she sat down on the stool behind the hutch the housed many magical items.  She reached into the secret compartment and found the small key that she would need to unlock the case.  She sighed again.

She wished that she didn’t have to do things this way, but Rumple had forced her hand.  He pushed her into a corner.  She wasn’t the raging tiger that Regina was, but she knew how to fight back.  She knew that sooner or later she would have to talk to Rumple and clear the air, but today wasn’t going to be that day.  There was too much at stake.

“Belle?” he asked as he saw her on the stool.

She turned sharply and schooled her features.  She had been raised to be a princess, a future queen, like Snow und Regina.  They had all learned at a young age the game of politics.  Her upbringing hadn’t been as harsh us Regina’s, but it was nevertheless strict and demanding.  He didn’t see the flush of fear cross her face as she steeled herself to his pleading.

“Are you coming home?”

“Not today,” Belle answered.

“When?” he asked.

“When I can believe that you aren’t going to hurt anyone for power?”

“What do I have to do?”

“I don’t know.  You’ve hurt me and you don’t see it,” she told him as she unlocked the compartment that had the parchments in it.  “You are so worried about yourself and your quest for power that you have forgotten what should matter most to you, Rumple.  I will not be a trophy for you.  I am supposed to be your wife.  Either learn to treat me like it, or let me go.”

He looked utterly defeated by her words.  She kept her eyes on him while she took the parchments.  She rolled them up and secured them before she stood up.  She never took her eyes off of him as she moved to come around the glass hutch.

“You could have just asked.  I would have let you have them, Belle.  They mean nothing to me.”

“I know.”

“Then why didn’t you?” he asked her.

“Because, I am not ready to talk to you.  I don’t know when I will be.  I am sorry,” she replied.

He didn’t say a word as she left.  He just let her go.  He knew that if he kept her there that the Savior would come knocking.  And he knew that if Emma came knocking, then Regina and Ruby wouldn’t be far behind.  He really didn’t want an all-out war with the “heroes.”

He was looking for a way to fix things.  He needed to figure out how to fix his marriage.  He couldn’t do that without hurting a few people.  He just hoped that everyone would understand. 

He knew that they wouldn’t understand that he’d figured out a time spell.  He knew that they would be afraid of him having it, because he would literally be able to go back and change things to get the outcome that he wanted.  They wouldn’t understand that he was developing it, strengthening it, so that he could save the town and stop the Blackness.  They wouldn’t get that he was afraid that he was the Blackness.

Time was of the essence.  He had to figure this out quickly.  He had to stop Will.  She was the one that would undo everything that he would do in the future.  She was the catalyst that would start the feud between Rumple and the rest of town.  He needed to stop her from coming.  He needed to hurt Coraline, Regina, and Emma, but it was just such a small pain.  They would never know that it happened to begin with.  He needed to rid the town of the Vulcannonian that wouldn’t die.

He went to the back to the store.  There was really no reason to be open.  No one came to him anymore.  They went to the Mayor/Queen or the Savior.  He wasn’t needed.  He had all the power of the Dark One and no one seemed to care.  They had all learned to live without magic and now that it was back, no one trusted Rumple long enough to try to get him to do anything for him.  His prices were usually too sleep for them in FTL.  Here they were astronomical.

He didn’t know what Belle hoped to find in those parchments.  They were just old contracts.  Only two or three of them were actually Vulcannonian Contracts of Service.  If memory served him correctly, there were a few Vulcannonian Contracts of Binding.  Once, he even saw the name of Rohan Fajro on one.  But, it had been so many years ago and they were all younger then.  The more he thought about it, the more he thought that Wilhelmina had taken that contract back with her to try and save her brother at one point.

His lip curled into a snarl.  Wilhelmina had caused him to delay things before with Regina.  He wondered why the “blessed” Vulcannonian was around now.  Surely, she couldn’t be trying to bind with Regina.  It was the main reason that she ran to begin with.  What was that blasted Vulcannonian up to?  She was beginning to be the bane of his existence along with Coraline.

He sat down at his potions table and stared at the tome in from of him.  The hexed spell that he created and gave to her brother Rohan didn’t kill her or her father.  It did take out half the population of Vulcannon.  He didn’t care enough to research it hack then, but now, he needed to know.  What made her so special?  Was it in her blood?

The thought of bleeding her dry made him giddy.  He would be able to gain her power and destroy her as a threat at the same time.  The problem was that she healed so damn fast just like the rest of the Vulcannonians that he had tried to bleed dry.  Her sister-in-law had been the easiest to bleed, but she wasn’t a full-blooded Vulcannonian.  She was part Wolf.  The thought made him stop and think.  Was Wilhelmina full-blooded or was she something else?  Was she really Pyroxes’ daughter with Cyanae Rafe?  Or was she someone else’s?

 

_Regina lay back on the chaise, content that she would be free in the morning of her husband’s touch and his contempt.  She was relaxing.  She knew that whatever Wilhelmina was doing, she was doing for Regina and possible for the betterment of the kingdom, but it was mostly for Regina.  She was finally pulled out of her reverie when she heard a knock on her main chamber door.  She didn’t know who it could be.  She knew that Will would have taken care of the staff and let them know that the Queen wasn’t to be disturbed until morning._

_Slowly, she stood up and crossed the room.  Before she opened the door, she grabbed a heavy dressing robe and put it on.  She hoped that it was just someone from the kitchens bringing up her supper, since she missed the meal in the dining room with the King, because Will told her not to go.  She was sure that was who was behind the door, because she knew that Will would have made sure that she got something to eat._

_She was wrong.  She was dead wrong.  It wasn’t anyone from the kitchens.  It was the King._

_“Good evening, Regina.  You look well.  I’m glad to see that you are recovering quickly after last night’s endeavors.  I must say, I am surprised that you are actually standing.  You could barely get out of my bed last night.  I thought maybe I had been too rough with you poor whoring body.  But, now, I see I wasn’t.  Damn, woman, you must like it rougher than I thought.”_

_Regina’s blood turned to ice.  All the color drained from her face.  And, she muttered only one word, under her breath so he couldn’t hear it._

_“Will?”_

"Will you tell me what you did that night?" Emma asked Will wondering what she could have done that would have caused her Grandfather to leave the castle to deal with it and why it would have taken him over two weeks to deal with it..

"No, I need to keep some things secret. How else will I be able to do my job responsibly? Hell, Emma, you never questioned me this much when I was teaching you how to track someone."

"I know. It is just...what would have caused him to leave that spontaneously? It must have been something that he was acquainted with if he left quickly and with just a small contingent of men. You don't just leave your new bride and daughter like that without understanding what the threat is and how to do deal with it. My guess is that it wasn't a real threat. It had to be something that you both knew about. It had to be something political," Emma stated.

"It was," Will replied, shocked that Emma had guessed close enough to the truth that quickly.

Regina turned sharply and looked at Will. She could remember what happened that night after Wilhelmina left her side. She couldn't forget it, but she never knew what Will did to get Leopold away from her. She just knew that he left early the next morning. Before he was gone, Will was back and by her side.

“You knew?" Regina stated.

"I knew what, Majesty?" Will asked her.

"You knew what was going on before you left, didn't you?"

"I had some idea. There was some talk amongst the knights and the staff. When you want to know what is really going on in the kingdom, always ask the servants. They have no reason to lie to you. They are at your mercy and pleasure," Will stated.

"I know, but you knew what you were going to stir up."

“I did.”

"Did you know?" Regina asked as her entire countenance changed before their eyes.

"Did I know what, Majesty?" Will asked her suddenly concerned.

"You didn't know. How could you? You weren't there and I never told you," Regina replied quietly, hanging her head in obvious shame.

It was a look that Emma wasn't familiar with, nor did she know how to deal with it. It was something that Wilhelmina was knowledgeable about. She'd dealt with it before. She was out of her seat and kneeling before her. She reached a hand out and tilted Regina's face back up.

Brown met blue. Will searched her face as she watched everything as she tried to cover it up with her queenly mask. She saw enough to know what had happened and what Regina had hid.

“He came to you?" Will asked a little above a whisper.

“Yes…”

"I'd kill him if he wasn't already dead. Why? Regina...why didn't you tell me?" Will asked her.


	26. Chapter 26

Will had left the vault and the cemetery knowing that Regina and Emma needed to talk.  She could tell that they loved each other and she didn’t want to be a reason that they didn’t end up together.  She had her own problems to deal with.  She didn’t want to compound them.

She strolled through the woods.  She knew that Red was probably out in them.  Honestly, she hoped that she would find her young kinswoman.  She knew that Ruby was upset.  She’d learned more about the Wolf side of her family from a picture than she had from her own Granny.  It was a hard pill to swallow, but Wilhelmina couldn’t fault Eugenia for not telling her the full truth.

Hell, she wasn’t sure if she knew the full truth behind the lineage of her mother, Cyanae Rafe.  She wasn’t surprised when Eugenia called her “Cyan’s cub,” because she could tell that there were other Wolves in town.  She’d met Red before.  It was just after her change, she was barely sixteen or seventeen at the time.  It was also shortly after her first kill, well the first kill she remembered, her boyfriend at the time, Peter.

She had been devastated that she was the killer, but Snow and Granny both convinced her to run.  Granny would hide the fact that she was killer and blame her disappearance on the “Wolf,” too.  Granny had sent word via raven to Will and Will had done her best to help her young cousin out.  She knew that Red wouldn’t remember her.  She’d made sure of that.  Snow didn’t either.

“You found me?” Red asked walking out into a clearing.

“Not really, no.  It is more like you found me.  I don’t know these woods like you do, Red.”

Ruby regarded her for a moment.  She really looked at the woman before her.  She’d never met a Vulcannonian before now.  And, she had to think that they weren’t that different from anyone else she’d ever met.  They looked just as human as she did.

Will stood there under her intense scrutiny and let it happen.  She owed her kin this much.  She watched as her hazel eyes took everything in before her.  They resembled each other.

“You look like your Mom?”

“I’ve been told that I do.”

“I’m told that I look like my father.  Never met him though, villagers killed him in wolf form when I was a baby.  Granny moved us away from that village and nearer to the castle then.  She had to protect me,” Ruby told her.

“I know.”

“You do?”

“Yes, I do, Ruby.  I often came to sit with you while Regina talked to with you as a young girl.  Henry never came with us on the visits.  Eugenia didn’t want him coming around you, and Regina wouldn’t allow it.  She didn’t know what spies that her mother had in place, even though she was gone.  She was trying to protect you.”

“I don’t remember any of that.”

“I have no doubt of that, either.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why don’t you doubt that that I don’t remember any of that?  And, why do you care?  What would it matter if anyone knew that I was Regina’s sister?  What could have they have done?”

“There were those that didn’t like the fact that because Regina saved Snow she got to be the new Queen.  Trust me when I say, Cora was ecstatic.  But, there were others that weren’t.  Regina had many enemies that she didn’t even know about because of who her mother was and who her father just happened to be.  The fact that you were kin meant you were a problem.  And, that is why she quit visiting you,” Wilhelmina told her.

“But, she saved the Wolves,” Ruby stated.

“Another way to protect her tiny sister.”

Ruby sat on stump at stared at the woman, really studying her.  She was built to be a warrior.  She was stout and muscular.  Her blue eyes were as clear as the summer sky and her almost alabaster skin was dotted with small freckles.  Her hair, while dark as coal, had bright red highlights that made her hair look like it was on fire in the right sunlight.  She could the prowess in her movements as Will walked, more like paced, in the clearing.  The scuffed up combat boots seemed well worn and well used.  The jeans fit her loosely in the legs but tight in the ass and accentuated her feminine prowl.  The faded gray Army T-shirt was tight in the arms and chest, but loose around her torso.  She topped off the outfit with a black leather biker belt.  She looked like Hell-on-wheels and ready to fight.

“Who are you?”

“You mean what am I?” Will teased.

“No, I know what you are.  You are the Vulcannonian Princess Wilhelmina, daughter of Pyroxes.  But, you are more than that.  Who are you…really?” Red asked her.

She stopped.  No one had ever asked her that.  They just assumed because she was Vulcannonian that there was nothing more to her than that.  They didn’t look at her the way Ruby did.

“I am Princess Wilhelmina Fajro, Daughter of Pyroxes, King of Vulcannon and the Conulf of Cyanae Rafe Mackenna, sister of Prince Rohan Fajro, current holder of the Mackenna titles.  I am from two separate worlds and neither are my home.  I am a warrior and a slave.  I am a knight and traitor.  I am the last known surviving heir to the throne of Vulcannon.  I am the last of the line that should have never been extinguished and yet have nothing to show for it.  What are you Ruby?  Are you more that you appear?” Will asked her.

“I am just Ruby Lucas, waitress at Granny’s diner.  I just happen to be a werewolf that comes from a long line of werewolves.  And, everyone happens to call me Red because of my cloak.”

“Your Aunt’s cloak,” Will corrects.

“It’s my aunt’s cloak?”

“That it is, Ruby.  I know that Regina gave it to your Granny who gave it to you.  I see that its magic hasn’t lost it touch for you.  I am glad to see that it made it into your hands,” Will states.

“Did you know that Regina would give it to me?” Ruby asked her.

“I did not.  I had no idea that you would end up with it.  If I had known what I know now, I would have given it to you myself.  I would have done it because it would have been rightfully yours.  I have no need of it.  It wouldn’t have helped me the way it helps you.”

Ruby studied her for a second.  She can see the truth in the statement.  She can see the concern on Will’s face.  There is a longing there that Ruby understands.

“We are family?”

“We are.”

“How?”

“It is a long story and one that I think would be better told by Granny herself.  But, before we have that discussion, I need to speak with Eugenia myself.  It isn’t because of something that you’ve done, Ruby.  Trust me on that.  We both love you.  We are looking out for you. There are those that will want to hurt you once they know the truth.  I know that you want answers and you think that I am hiding them from you, Red, but trust me when I say that I am not.  It is…just a mess that needs to be cleared up.”

“My father is Regina’s father.  You are my mother’s sister.  What else is there that I don’t know?  What aren’t you telling me?  What is it, Will?” Red demanded.

“Henry is your father and Anita is your mother.  That has never been hidden from you as far as I know.  The rest of your pack, as it were, maybe has been and for good reason, Red.  Your Granny has always looked out for you.  She tried to look out for Anita, too, but Anita…she wouldn’t listen to reason.  She never could.  The anger and the lust in her veins from the Wolf controlled her from the day she turned,” Will told her.

“I know that.  I am the one that killed her.  Did you know that?  I killed Anita because she wanted me to kill Snow.  I killed her and that still haunts me,” Red confessed.

“It will.  It always will, Ruby.  The pain will lessen but it will always be there.  Trust me.”

“You didn’t kill your parents.  You tried to save them by all accounts that Belle has.  Why would you say that to me?” Ruby asked.

“Maybe because not all the accounts are true,” Will told her.

Red stood there as she walked off.  She’d never thought of that.  The stories that she read she’d learned not to fully trust.  The stories that she heard she took more to heart.  She watched Will as she stomped through the forest with a purpose, heading back to town, and wondered what it was about her that had the whole town wondering.  She was just a woman.  She was just Vulcannonian, whatever the Hell that meant.  She reminded herself mentally to ask Belle that very question.  She was just her aunt. 

“Is she part Wolf?” Red wondered aloud.

Shaking off the question, she turned.  She still needed to burn off the rage of not knowing and the lust for Belle.  She couldn’t go back until she could control herself.  She whimpered to the grass.  It was definitely going to be a long day for her as she took off at a dash, a blur of fur.

 

Belle walked in the front door of the diner.  She looked at Granny and Tink.  Granny eyed the parchments in her hands, but said nothing as Belle continued through the diner and up the stairs to the rooms of the Bed and Breakfast behind it.

Granny knew that Belle had been staying in Ruby’s front facing apartment for a few days and she really didn’t mind.  It was good for Belle to be away from that sniveling Imp for a while and experience what real life could offer her.  She’d been meaning to talk to the girl earlier, but things always seemed to be getting in the way.

She huffed as she wiped down the counter in front of her.  She could ask Tink to watch over the diner until Red came back to work the closing shift for her, but something told her that Belle needed her time alone.  She wouldn’t push the girl.  There were other things for her to worry about right now.  She knew that she needed to go check on Regina and Emma. 

Just as she was about to go into the kitchen, Tink came out of it loaded down with plates.  She was as the fairy moved with efficiency and got the plates to the right tables quickly.  When Tink was done she came back up to the counter and looked at the clock above it surrounded in neon.

“Go.”

“What?” Granny asked.

“Go find Red.  She’s in the woods probably.  Go find her and deal with your family, Granny.  I go the diner.  It ain’t going nowhere.  Besides, Red needs to get back here in time for dinner rush.  I don’t want to be doing that on my own,” Tink told her.

Eugenia through the dishcloth on the counter and took off her apron.  She knew that Tink was right.  Red was in the woods trying to burn off her anger.  But, it wasn’t Red she was going to see.  Nope, she was going to find Snow and Charming.  She needed to know what Snow remembered.  When she got done with Snow, she would circle back to the Mayoral Mansion and talk with Emma and Regina.  Finally, she would get with Ruby at the diner.  That way her granddaughter wouldn’t run.  She needed to see what they were all up to.  She needed to make sure that her “pack” was okay.  She’d promised them all she’d keep them together, years ago, and damn it, she wasn’t going to let them down now.

 

Snow and Charming were in their house playing with Neal.  He was growing up so quickly.  He was a budding toddler and keeping up with his was proving harder than breaking a horse for Charming.  He loved every minute of it.  He was currently chasing him around the kitchen table when there was a knock on the door.  Snow went to answer it while she let Charming continue to chase him.

“Granny?!?” Snow asked answering the door.

“We need to talk,” Granny told her.

“Of course, come in,” Snow told her, moving out of the way to let her in the house.

She acknowledged Charming as she made her way into the house.  Charming smiled at her as she held a tired Neal.  She walked into the kitchen and sat at their table.  Snow followed her to the table.  Charming put Neal into a play pin area just off the kitchen and then joined them at the table.  He couldn’t tell why Granny was not at ease, but he was sure he was about to find out.

“What’s wrong, Granny?”

“Wilhelmina is here.”

“I know.”

“You know?” Granny asked.

“I thought that I saw her down at the docks.  I called Regina and we went to look.  She wasn’t sure if was her or not, so we asked Belle to look into it.  Will wasn’t here with the first curse and we weren’t sure that she made it with the second one.  Regina doesn’t know how she got her.”

“I do,” Eugenia told her.

“How do you know?” Charming asked her.

“I remember the day she left the Enchanted Forest.”

“How do you know about that?  I remember her being in the palace and with Regina.  Next thing I remember is Regina sending out search parties for her.  She was just gone and then Rumple was there.  Regina seemed very perplexed by all of it.  But, you’re telling me that you know.”

“I knew who she was as soon as I saw her,” Granny told them.

“How?”

“She is my kin.”

“You’re Vulcannonian?” Charming asked her.

“No, I am not.  She is the Conulf.  Her mother was my kin.  She is Ruby’s cousin.”

“Ruby’s an Alpha?” Snow asked.

“Yes, because of her mother.”

“Her mother?  Isn’t she your daughter?  I thought she was your daughter?” Charming asked.

“She was my daughter.  Her name was Anita.  Her father however was Henry.”

“Henry?  Henry who?  Regina’s father, Henry?”  Snow questioned.

“Yes, Henry is her father.  Regina knows that.  It is one of the reasons she has always been so protective of her.  Regina never pursued her when she was with you.  She always had the men release her.  Deep down, I don’t think that Regina ever really wanted to hurt you.  She was just acting upon the demented teachings of her own her mother and that Imp, Rumple.”

“We’ve figured that much out.  Regina and I have come to terms with each other, Granny.  But you didn’t come here to talk about Regina.  You came here to talk about Ruby.  So, why?”

Snow watched her.  Granny was the only true mother that Ruby had ever known.  She’d figured out long ago that Henry was her father.  She’d told Snow, but Snow had kept that secret.  It wasn’t just for Ruby.  It had been for Regina as well.  Something about that though still upset Eugenia.  There was something else, something with Wilhelmina that was causing her distress.

“Will is also a Conulf.”

“Will is a Conulf, too.  They are both Alphas.  How?  Different packs?” Snow asked.

Charming decided to leave at that moment.  He knew that whatever secrets that Granny needed to tell she needed to tell Snow privately.  If it affected him or Neal, he knew that Snow would tell him.  He was still out of the loop about the Vulcannonians in general.  They were all gone by the time he came into power with Snow.  George had never believed in their power, so never asked for their help.  Charming knew that it could have helped in his downfall and for that, he didn’t care that he didn’t know.  It had all happened for a reason. 

“They aren’t from different packs.  They share the same ancestors.  Their mothers are sisters.”

“Anita’s sister is Wilhelmina’s mother?” Snow asked.

“Yes, Cyan is Anita’s sister.  She isn’t mine though.  She is the daughter of the Alpha.  My husband was an Alpha.  He was a lot older than I thought.  So, was Cyan.  I never knew that she was my husband’s daughter until I met her with Regina.  I guessed that Wilhelmina’s lineage and she told me.  There are things that even I didn’t know about my husband.  He was a carrier.  He turned me.  He knew that Anita would be a Wolf, too and any of her children as well.”

“So Wilhelmina is a Wolf, too?” Snow questioned.

“She might be.  I don’t know if she is.  She would be a carrier.  If she is, she can control it better than any Wolf I’ve ever known.  She is the child of an Alpha, just as Ruby is.  If she is and she can turn, then she will be older and more dominant that Ruby.  She might try to dominate her.”

“I doubt that she’ll do that, Granny.”

“You don’t know Alphas like I do, Snow.  If Will wants to try for the head of the pack, she’ll take it.  Ruby won’t be able to stand up to her.  There would be nothing that she could do.  She must submit.  You have to convince her to submit to her.  Wilhelmina is Vulcannonian.  She cannot die.  Ruby would die in a fight with her.  I don’t care that they are cousins.  If Will makes a play for dominance, Ruby needs to submit.”

“Calm down, Eugenia.  I’ll talk to Ruby.  I’ll talk to Regina.”

“What good would that do?” Granny asked.

“Regina still has Wilhelmina under Vulcannonian Contract according to Belle.  Will submits to her.  If Regina tells her to leave Ruby alone, she must do it.  But, I’ll talk to Red.  I’ll convince her to submit is Will makes her.  I promise you that, Granny,” Snow affirmed.

“Thank you.”

“Granny, is there more that you need to tell me?”

“Ruby ran off.  I am not sure where.  I am sure that she is just in the woods, but…”

“She’ll be fine.  I’ll go look for her.  I have an idea where she might have run off to.”

“You don’t know what it is like when two Alphas fight, Snow.  They will try to kill each other.  They will make a play to be the dominant against each other.  They won’t have a choice once they realize that they are both Conulfs.  You don’t know what they will do to each other.  I do.”

“Granny, don’t worry.  I’ll find her.  I’ll talk to her.  I’ll go talk to Will, too.  I am sure that they can peacefully be together here.  Will has been in town for a while and nothing has happened.  I believe that it will stay that way.  I’ll talk to them.  It will be okay, though.  I promise,” Snow said, taking Granny’s hand.

“I pray that you can, Snow.  I pray that you can.  I need to go,” Granny stated standing and leaving.

Snow stood up as she did.  She watched the older woman leave.  She couldn’t believe that Ruby and Will would fight each other for a position that neither of them really wanted.  She knew that the only way that she could affectively deal with this matter was with Regina.  She hoped that Regina would help her.  She couldn’t see a reason why she wouldn’t.

She grabbed her purse off the counter and ran through her list of contacts.  She stopped on Regina’s name.  Her thumb hovered for a moment and the she finally dialed.  She wasn’t surprised that Regina made her wait, but the four rings before it went straight to voicemail gave her pause.  She sighed as she listened to Regina’s greeting and waited for the appropriate beep.

“Regina, it’s Snow.  Call me.  It concerns Will and Red.  We need to meet.  Soon.”

Rumple walked around the shop.  He was angry and he was lonely.  He couldn’t believe that Belle just won’t come home.  He needs to find a way to convince her.  He needs to get her away from Red and Regina.  He knows that they are poisoning her against him…again.

He flips through the newest tome that he has rediscovered in the shop.  He is more curious as to why he forgot it was there in the first place.  It must have been the Curse.  Regina had given him certain powers, but he didn’t have magic.  He couldn’t tap into that part of him that was dark completely.  He was only partially himself during the Curse and he knew it.  He was powerful, but he was still craving the power that he didn’t have.

“Where is it?” he asked himself as he flipped through the pages.

The pages were old and he could smell the ink on them.  This was no ordinary magicians book.  Oh, no, it wasn’t.  This book had once been the Sorcerer’s, but he wasn’t the one that wrote it.  No, this tome was older, darker, and deadly in some cases.

“Why the Hell did you use blood to write everything down?  You tainted the pages in doing that.  The spells will only work if I can absorb them.  Why would you use your own blood?” he asked the book, still thumbing through the pages.

He knew why the magician used his own blood.  It was a spell in itself.  It was blood magic.  You could read the spell but you couldn’t have it completely.  You would always need the book in order to control the spell or even cast it.  It wasn’t like other magics that he could simply inhale or absorb.  No, Rumple would have to lug the book around to cast the spells that he wanted.  It was a deterrent, but not a big enough one to stop him from what he was doing.

He gathered the required ingredients.  He knew that Belle and Regina wouldn’t forgive him easily, but he had to do this.  He had to make them see that they were making a mistake.  They couldn’t trust the Vulcannonians.  They did nothing but betray those they were supposed to be helping.  He’d seen it first hand during the Ogres War and now with Wilhelmina back in the picture things were going to get bad.  He could fight her in Storybrooke but being back in the Enchanted Forest.  If they were back he would have access to his castle and if he had access to his castle, then he had access to things to make sure everyone was safe.

“I need to get back.  I need to get this portal open.  I can do this.  I can make this work.”

He crushed the herbs in the pestle on the table.  He grabbed some potions off the wall and then some out of the cabinet behind the counter.  They were all from his secret stash.  They were all important and hard to come by in Storybrooke.  He knew he would only have a small window to get what he needed.  He would make the portal, go back, get more and then set up his endgame.

“I just hope that Regina doesn’t figure it out before then.  I need to make sure that she is kept away from me for a while.  I don’t know how to do that without alienating Belle.  I am going to push her further away,” Rumple stated aloud.

He looked around the shop.  He knew that Belle wouldn’t understand in the beginning but later he hoped that she would understand.  He would have to push her further away now.  He knew that a public fight would be the best thing for you.  He needed to make sure that everyone understood that he was pushing Belle away.   He needed to make a big scene.  He needed to make sure that they all took her side and made him out to be the bad guy.  He needed to make sure that no one suspected what he was really doing. 

He gathered the new potion together and put it in a small bottle.  He knew that he had to make it to the woods.  There was still enough magic in the well that he could open a portal with it.  He could only hope that it would be big enough for him to get what he needed and get back without causing too much fuss in town.  He would cast a cloaking spell on the well.  Then, he knew that he would be protected.

As he shrugged his coat on and grabbed his cane, he headed towards Granny’s in hopes that Belle was there.  It was a public enough place.  There would be enough people there as it was nearing dinnertime and then, he could make his scene.  He knew that time was of the essence.  The potion would only remain viable for a few hours.  The clock was ticking and he needed to make sure that he got to the well before time ran out.

 

Blue and Tink were at the abbey.  They were working on some spells for Coraline and Regina to learn.  Blue had been skeptical when Regina had come in with her earlier last week, but she had seen not only the love and affection that Regina had for her, but the willingness to learn some things that Rumple had decided she didn’t need to know.  Blue was going to help her with the light magic just as she had been helping Coraline.  It was a strange bonding experience for them all, but Regina and Blue could see the potential in their uneasy alliance for their future.

If they couldn’t get this spell right, it wouldn’t really matter.  They couldn’t actually foresee a dragon coming to Storybrooke, but it never hurt to be prepared.  The only dragons that they had fought were the magical ones that they had conjured.

“Are you sure that we need to do this?” Tink asked her.

“No, but what could it hurt?”

“Nothing, I guess,” Tink answered as there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Blue called out and the door opened.

Nova slowly came in.  She waited for Blue and Tink to acknowledge her.  Her demure presence was always calming for all the fairies and other magical creatures.  Blue wondered if she knew.

“Mother,” Nova started.

“What is it?”

“Regina and Coraline won’t be coming today.  There has been…well, a family emergency of sorts, according to them both…separately.  They will be back out here in the morning to work on potions with you.  Regina was especially…apologetic about it,” Nova answered.

“So, great, we’ve made all this for nothing,” Tink says slamming a bottle on the table before them.

“It wasn’t for nothing,” Blue stated.  “Thank you for letting us know, Nova.  Please get with the rest of the sister and have them harvest some more dragon root, lilac, and poppy for me.  Our stores are getting rather low.  And have Magenta check the herb garden.  I think we should have something delicious and minty for dinner.”

“Yes, Blue,” she replied as she left the room.

“You sent her away?”

“I did?”

“It seems like you did,” Tink replied.

“I am just trying to be prepared for anything.  I don’t know what we will need in the future and I don’t want our stores completely depleted.  Coraline has warned us about the coming Blackness.  We need to make sure that we have enough of everything for anything.”

“I get that, but there was more behind you dismissing her than that,” Tink stated.

“I don’t think that there was.”

“If you say so,” Tink replied.

“What is it about me, Green, that will always keep you so on edge?”

“Maybe the fact that you took my wings,” Tink stated.

“I see.  You still don’t trust me?  I understand that.  I get it.  I haven’t given you enough of reason to trust me again.  You’ve earned your wings and a place with us.  You’ve helped the town out more than you think that you have.  You’ve become an integral part of the abbey and the town.  You’ve been working with Coraline on her own.  Yes, I know that you two have still been working.  I applaud you for that.”

“I am the fairy for Regina’s family, am I not?”

“You have become much in the last few years,” Blue answered.

“You can’t say it, can you?  You can’t admit that you were wrong back then?  That is why you are letting do whatever is that I want with both Regina and Coraline, isn’t it?”

“You’ve earned the right to serve them.  I will not deny that you had the right intentions back then, but Regina was not ready to be saved.  I was trying to protect from that heartache, but instead you defied the council and me.  It took years for both of you to redeem yourself.”

“You mean it took both us to save your ass for you to forgive me,” Tink stated as she continued to blend some powders together in a pestle. 

Blue stopped her movements.  She turned to face Tink and took in the emotions on her face.  She knew that she and Tink had never come to full terms of their previous problems.  The more time they spent together, the more time that Tink proved herself to Blue. 

It was true that the Fairy Council was gone because of the Curse.  Blue had been made the head of the abbey with the Curse because she had been the head teacher and fairy godmother in the Enchanted Forest.  Blue was always the one making the final decisions for all the high powered royals.  She was surprised that Regina had actually given her so much power in the town.  Sure being the Mother Superior of the abbey was an important job and it gave a position in the town.  She always wondered why Regina did it, but she figured that it was just to make sure that she could watch over Blue and make sure that she wasn’t doing anything that Regina didn’t want.

Tink had earned her position among the fairies.  She’d proven herself to Regina and to Blue.  She was taking time out of her day to help Coraline.  She was continuing her fairy education with Blue and the rest.  She continuing her fairy duties to the family that she had been assigned.  Even when she didn’t know that Coraline was Regina’s daughter, she had gone out of her way to help Coraline with her magic. 

Blue turned to her again and watched her.  Tink had gone back to grinding some powders.  She had several pestles in front of her.  Blue couldn’t make out all the powders but she knew that they were all needed for various first aid potions, tinctures and salves.  She stopped her movements and turned fully to face Tink.

“What?” Tink finally asked facing her wondering what Blue was thinking or wanting.

“You’ve done well since you’ve been back.”

“Okay?”

“I think that you have earned a new title.  You’ve proven that you are loyal and kind.  You follow the tenants of the Fairy World.  You’ve gotten your wings and you don’t use pixie dust without a good reason.”

“I used it on Coraline, though,” Tink admitted.

“You were trying to help her.  Admittedly it was because you conjured a dragon for her to fight, but you did what you had to do quickly.  You brought her back here when you realized that you couldn’t heal her without help.  I should have realized that then that you had earned this new title because of your quick thinking and the fact that you were drawn to Coraline before we knew that she was Regina’s daughter actually sealed the fact that you deserve it.”

“What are you babbling on about over there?” Tink asked her dropping the mortar on the table.

“You need to be made a Fairy Godmother.  You are the family fairy for Regina and her family.  That means that you are drawn to all of her offspring.  I am sure that you are drawn to Henry, but then so am I.  The odd thing is that Henry and Coraline are both Regina and Emma’s children.  So we will be working together with them.”

“But what about the young Prince Neal?” Tink asked watching the slightly older fairy.

“He is still my charge.”

“But, you’ve heard what Coraline has said about him once we end up back in the Enchanted Forest.  What are you going to do about that?  Is there any way that we stop it?”

“I don’t know, Green.  I really don’t know.  I’ve been doing some research with Regina while you’ve been working with Coraline.  I know that she has Belle looking into it as well.”

“They are leaving nothing to chance are they?” Tink asked.

“Emma’s idea, while we are worried about the Blackness, they’ve been looking into many things.  Everyone is worried, but we have all agreed to not tell Snow about it.  Emma is trying to protect her mother from losing another child.”

“Snow is still your charge.  Why don’t you tell her?  She needs the truth.  It isn’t fair that Emma would hide that from her.  They should tell her.”

“I understand why they aren’t telling her.”

“Why?” Tink asked, putting her hand on her hip.

“When Snow’s mother was dying, she tried to come to me to save her.  She found Cora disguised as me instead.  She almost killed someone to save her mother.  I don’t know what turned her heart, but it did and she didn’t follow through with the spell.  When her family was threatened again, she panicked.  She knew where Cora hid her heart and she used the hexed candle to save Rumple.  She killed Cora to save Rumple, much to everyone’s dismay.  She gave up some of her purity and some of her light to save the Dark One,” Blue explained.

“She saved the Dark One from death?”

“She did.  She regretted it as soon as it happened, but there wasn’t anything that she could do.  She even went to Regina to kill her.  She begged Regina to destroy her heart because she didn’t know how to deal with the pain and the darkness in her heart.  It took a long time, but finally Regina and Snow came together and forgave each other.  They made their amends and realized that their feud was started with their mothers.  It would end with them.”

“What does that have to do with Neal?”

“Emma and Regina are both afraid of what Snow might do to save her child.  They both know that extremes that Snow was willing to go to bring down Regina, the lengths that she was willing to go to be with Charming, and she had no limits when it came to protecting Emma even before she was born and they knew about the Curse.  Snow will do anything and I do mean anything to protect her family,” Blue explained.

“They fear that she will go dark again?”

“They know that she has the capability and the blemish on her heart to do it.  They are prepared to do what they must to protect Neal, but they want to find every possible solution.  Trust me when I say that Emma doesn’t want to lose her baby brother.  She also doesn’t want to lose her mother in the process.  It is going to be an uneasy road for us all.”

“You don’t think that we should just tell her?”

“No, because then all Snow will focus on doing is finding a way to save Neal.  The rest of the town would no longer matter.  The coming Blackness wouldn’t even register for her.  She would only get in our way because she would be trying to save him.”

“Are we trying to save him?” Tink asked.

“We are.”

“Then what are we going to do when we can’t save him?” Tink questioned.

“Keep Snow from becoming the new Dark One.”


	27. Chapter 27

Regina and Emma came out of the vault and the mausoleum.  As soon as they break the door way, Regina’s cell phone alerts her to a missed call.  Emma grabs hers on reflex and checks it.  Nothing.  She’s a little surprised that she doesn’t have a missed call or message, too.  She is surprised but she is also happy at the same time.  No calls meant no issues.

“That’s odd,” Regina said looking at her phone.

“What’s odd?” Emma asked her.

“Snow called me.”

“She called you?  Why would she call you and not call me?  What does she need?” Emma asked.

“I don’t know.  I haven’t listened to the voice mail, yet.  Hold on and let me find out,” Regina told her as she dialed into her voice mail.

Emma watched her face.  The confusion was quick and not expected.  Emma reached out and touched her arm.  Regina whipped around and stared at her.  The look of utter confusion only got worse the longer she listened to the short message.

“What?” Emma asked her.

“I need to find Snow.  Can you go home and make sure that Coraline is okay?  Also, call Will and tell her to come to the house.  It seems we need to talk some more,” Regina told her.

“What’s going on?” Emma asked.

“I am not sure, but your mother is worried about something.  I’ll go see her to find out what it is and then I’ll meet you at the house.  Just please make sure that Coraline and Will are there.  I have a feeling that I am going to need Will’s services before the night is through.”

“Guess I’m poofing home, by myself, then.”

Regina leans into Emma and gives her a quick kiss.  She is trying to not act as worried as Snow, but there was something in her voice that has put Regina on edge.  She is hoping that she hasn’t worried Emma too much because she knows that Emma will follow her to Snow’s if she has.  She wants to make sure that Coraline is okay and that there isn’t another threat against her or worse.

“I’ll be home soon.  I am sure it is nothing.  It is probably something that Neal ate and she isn’t sure what to do.  Go to the house.  I’ll be there soon.  I promise,” Regina told her.

She didn’t wait for Emma to acknowledge her again.  She flung her arms up and disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.  Emma stood there a minute herself before she followed suit and poofed herself back to Regina’s house across town.

Regina opened her eyes.  She was standing in Snow and David’s living room.  As the smoke cleared, Snow saw her former stepmother appear.

“I didn’t mean that you had to come over right away.”

“Snow, any time you call me like that I am going to come right over.  Now, what is so important that you needed me so quickly?  It sounded like a matter of life or death.  Is everything with Neal alright?  What’s wrong?” Regina questioned her.

“Neal is fine.  I called because we need to talk about Red and Will.  Granny told me something that has her extremely upset and I’m sure what to do about it,” Snow replied.

“Granny told you something about Red and Will?”

“Sit down, Regina.  I’ll get you some coffee.  Charming, don’t you need to go check in at the Sheriff’s office.  I am sure that someone has called for something by now,” Snow told him.

He understood that he was being dismissed.  He also knew that it meant that Snow wanted some privacy with Regina.  He went across the living room and scooped up Neal.  He changed Neal’s clothes and put a jacket on him.  Then they were out the door in less than five minutes.

In that time, Snow gave Regina a fresh cup of coffee.  She moved around the kitchen with a practiced ease and rustled up some sort of cookie.  She was trying to play at hostess and Regina didn’t understand why.  Whatever it was that Snow needed to tell her, it was something that she was worried about telling her.  This didn’t help ease Regina’s mind as she sat at their kitchen table waiting for Snow to just tell her.

“Snow, sit down and tell me whatever it is that you know,” Regina urged her.

Snow finally stopped and sat down.  She looked across the table at Regina and hung her head.  She didn’t know what to say.  She didn’t know how to start this conversation.

“Snow?”

“Granny came to me about Red.  She is worried about her.  She thinks that there may be a play for power among the Wolves of the town,” Snow told her.

“There aren’t that many Wolves here.  Does she honestly believe that there will be a coup?  And what does that have to do with Red?  It isn’t like she is an Alpha,” Regina stated.

“But, she is an Alpha.”

“What?” Regina asked breathily.

“She is the daughter of the daughter of the Conulf.  She is an Alpha of her tribe.  It turns out that Granny’s husband was the head Alpha of their pack.”

“Anita was his daughter and Red is hers…”

“Yes, and because of that Red is his natural heir.  Being his heir, she is an Alpha.  She would be the leader of the pack if it so chooses to reform.  Granny is scared for her life.”

“If Red is an Alpha, she’ll be fine.  I doubt that anyone in town would step up against her.  She has earned their respect and their fear.  If there is another Wolf in town, I am sure that Ruby is already aware of it.  She hasn’t said anything to me about it.  Has she to you?” Regina questioned taking up her cup of coffee as she started to relax but still waiting for more bad news.

“You would think so, Regina, but she doesn’t like to talk about her Wolfside.  You know that.  I am afraid of what might happen if she is challenged,” Snow told her.

“You really think that someone will challenge her?”

“I’m almost sure that it will happen,” Snow replied.

“Who is it?”

“You already know.”

“I already know who it is?”

“Yes, you do,” Snow told her and then hid behind her coffee cup.

Regina studied Snow.  She could see the fear and the understanding in her eyes.  It didn’t help settle Regina’s mind at all.  She watched Snow fidget with the coffee cup in her hand as it set on the table.  Regina was running through people in her head.  She couldn’t come up with an answer that made sense to her.  She couldn’t think of anyone that would be a Wolf and she didn’t already know about their other life.  She turned her gaze from Snow’s fingers back up to her face and studied it. 

“Who is it, Snow?”

“Regina, I don’t know that it will do any good for you-“

“Just tell me who it is!” Regina demands.

“Will, it’s Wilhelmina,” Snow told her.

She heard the gasp.  Hazel eyes met mahogany.  She could tell that Regina was trying to figure this out.  She couldn’t believe what Snow was telling her but on some level it made sense.

“I need to go.”

“Regina, wait.”

“No, Snow, I need to go.”

Regina stood up.  She was obviously in a daze.  Snow stood up, too.  She tried to reach out to stop her, but before she could lay a hand on her, Regina was gone in a plume of smoke.

Emma arrived at home quickly.  So quickly, that Coraline almost ran into her coming out of the kitchen.  They stared at each other but didn’t question the immediate appearance of Emma in the house.  Coraline just watched as she crossed the room and pulled out her phone. 

Emma opened the fridge and grabbed a beer.  She had her cell held up to an ear with one hand as she opened the beer bottle with the other.  Coraline stands in the doorway and waits for her mother to tell her what’s going on.  Emma just shakes her head when Will doesn’t pick up.

“Call Will,” Emma quickly orders Coraline and takes a long pull of her beer bottle.

Coraline watched her mother for a few seconds before she decided to follow direction.  She reaches into her blue jeans and pulls out her cell phone.  She calls Will and waits for her to pick up.  She is staring at Emma.  The intensity in her eyes was not lost on Emma.

They were both uneasy about this phone call and neither really knew why.  Emma knew that she was just doing as Regina asked and hoped that she would have an answer soon.  Coraline had learned quickly not to question her mothers, but she knew that something had to be going on for Emma to demand that she call Will.  They stared at each other for a few tense minutes, green mirroring green. 

“Will?” Coraline finally said when she finally got an answer on the line.

“Yeah?”

“Ma needs to talk to you,” Coraline stated quickly as she handed the phone to Emma without any further preamble, hoping that it will prove to give her answers faster.

“She wha-“ Will states as the phone is passed across the kitchen counter.

“Will, it’s Emma.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I am not sure that I really know, but Regina wants you to come to house.”

“I’ll be there soon.”

“Good.  I’ll see you when you get here.  Hopefully Regina will be here by the time you are.”

“She isn’t there?” Will asked suddenly fearing for the former queen.

“No, she went to talk to Snow before she came here.”

“Why did she go to Snow’s?” Will questioned.

“I am not sure.  I came here first.  Regina should be here soon.  Can you just come here?  She asked me to call you.  Will, I don’t know what’s going on, but I know whatever it is, it can’t be good.  It’s got Snow scared enough to call Regina.  Can you just come over?”

“I’ll be there shortly.”

Emma hung up the line and handed Coraline back her phone.  She pun back around and started rummaging through the fridge.  She needed something on her stomach.  She knew that if she didn’t eat something now, she wouldn’t once Regina told her whatever it was that upset Snow. 

Coraline watched her.  She could see the uneasiness in Emma’s movements.  She could feel the questions flowing off her and she hoped that the arrival of both Regina and Will would calm her.  She knew that Emma didn’t know why she was upset just that she was.

“Snow called your mother,” she finally said as she dropped the beer bottle in the trash.

Coraline watched as she put together two sandwiches on the counter.  She didn’t reply as Emma returned her sandwich materials back to the fridge.  She almost laughed as Emma turns around with two beers in her hand.  She opened the both and handed one to Coraline along with a sandwich.  Coraline takes them and watches her mother.

She knew that she hadn’t seen her this edgy since she was a child.  She couldn’t understand why Snow calling Regina would set her on edge this much.  She is about to say something when Regina appears to them both in the kitchen.  Without saying a word, Regina reaches across the counter and snatches Emma’s beer. 

They both watch as Regina makes a face, but drinks the beer anyway.  She sets the beer down and turns to the cabinet taking a glass down.  She reaches into her wine stock and selects a bottle.  She opens it and pours herself a healthy amount.  She swirls the glass, admiring the color, and takes a big sip.  She places the glass back on the counter top. 

Emma unconscientiously takes a step towards Regina.  Coraline watches as her mothers come together without knowing it.  The pull to be near other was growing.  Coraline smiled.  Regina grabbed the counter top and dropped her head as Emma encircles her waist with her arms.

“Is Will on her way over?” Regina finally asked.

“She is.”

“I need to talk to her,” Regina stated and Emma and Coraline both heard the unsaid “alone.”

“Want to tell me what about?” Emma asked.

“It seems that she is part Wolf,” Regina told them as she downed the rest of the glass of wine.

“She’s what?” Emma asked.

“That explains some things,” Coraline replied as they both turned to stare at their adult daughter.

 Coraline decided not to further elaborate what she meant by that statement.  She gathered her beer and sandwich and left the room.  Emma was on her way out the room after her when Regina grabbed her arm and held her back.  Emma turned back around and stared at Regina.

“What?”

“I need you to support me in this,” Regina told her.

“Support you in what?  You come home and tell me that Will is possibly a werewolf.  Our daughter mumbles something under her breath that I want more clarification on and then you tell me that you want my support.  What are you hinting at?”

“It seems that Wilhelmina’s mother and Red’s mother are sisters,” Regina started.

“They are?”

“Yes.”

“And, this is a problem?” Emma asked, unsure why Regina seemed so upset about Red and Wilhelmina’s lineage.

“It could be,” Regina said.

“How?  Can you tell me why?  What is it that them being cousins could be so bad?  Regina, Red is your sister.  What am I not seeing as a problem?” Emma questioned her.

“Red is an Alpha.”

“Of what?  There aren’t any other Wolves in town besides Granny.  And, I doubt that Granny would stand up against her.  So, I ask again what the significance to that?”

“Will is also from an Alpha line.”

“You’re afraid that Will will challenge Red for leadership of a nonexistent pack?”

“I am not afraid of it happening.  I know that it could.  Granny’s so worried about it that she went to Snow who called me.  We have to talk to Will and make sure that she won’t try anything with Red.  I can’t lose either of them, Emma.  One of them will have to back down.”

“And, you’re sure that it should be Will?” Emma asked her.

“She has to obey me.”

“She had to obey you?  Do you even hear yourself?  What are you talking about?”

“She has to obey me because of the Vulcannonian Contract.   She has to do whatever I tell her within reason.  She couldn’t kill your Grandfather or your mother because they were royalty and the ruling family of the kingdom.  Leopold was also not an idiot.  He made sure that his family would be protected, even if that included me because of the marriage.  He was trying to ensure his line and his lineage,” Regina explained.

“Meaning me?”

“He had no way of knowing that you would be born.  Snow hadn’t even met your Charming father before his death.  He could only hope that I would produce a male heir or that Snow would.  I never gave him a child, but he knew that Wilhelmina would not die.  She could defend the family and their heirs for years to come.  The contract is iron tight for her.  She cannot disobey it,” Regina stated.

“So, if you tell her to submit to Red, she will?” Emma asked.

“That is what I am hoping.  I won’t know until I talk to her.  I need to address this alone, Emma.  I don’t know what she might do once I explain everything to her.  I am not only trying to protect Red and Will from each other, but the town as well.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve never seen an Alpha fight.  I know that Granny has.  I know that Snow hasn’t.  They will fight to the death, which for Red would be the only outcome that she could succumb to because of Will’s Vulcannonian blood.  She maybe a Wolf, but she is damn near immortal.”

“Fuck.”

“Exactly.”

“I’ll go deal with Coraline.  I am sure that she knows a little more about this situation than she is letting on.  You talk with Will and give her your orders.  We’ll have a family dinner and talk about it all a little later.  Does that sound acceptable?”

“Are you cooking?”

“I thought I would help Coraline make something,” Emma stated.

“Good, because I don’t won’t the house to burn down.”

“You’re hilarious,” Emma replied.

“I am sorry for all of this, Emma.”

“What do you need to apologize for?  You didn’t create this issue.  You are dealing with it just as well as everyone else.  How were you supposed to know that Will would come back to you?  How were we supposed to know that our daughter would come back to us to save us all?  We didn’t.  There was no way to plan for something like that.  We can only do what we can do.  Don’t beat yourself up about this.  We will figure this out.  We’ll deal with it,” Emma told her.

“Keep reminding me of that.  Keep telling me that we are doing the right thing.  Keep me on the right path,” Regina stated in reply.

“I will, Regina.  I am not going to let you go dark again.  I’ll keep reminding you over and over that we are going to beat this, because we are going to beat it,” Emma told her and then kissed her.

Regina melted into the kiss.  She was glad that Emma could make her feel so much, such strength and so much weakness at the same time.  She gave her so much happiness that she wasn’t sure that she should be allowed to have it.  She knew that the past few weeks had been difficult for them both, but they were coming to terms with each other and their budding relationship.  They were making things work.

“Stop thinking so much about it,” Emma told her.

She held her close.  They heard the doorbell and Coraline’s yell.  They knew that Will was at the door and Emma held Regina to give them some time alone.

“Let them be for a few minutes, Regina.  I know that you told Will to stay away from her, but who is that really helping?  You or Coraline?  I know that you are afraid for Coraline, but Will loves her.  She’ll do right by her,” Emma stated, kissing her again.

Regina melted into her again.  Ignoring the nagging feeling in her head to go get Coraline away Will, she returned the kiss.  She ran her hands under Emma’s shirt and caressed her back.  She heard the soft moan that Emma gave it and ate it up like a drug.  She needed this.  She needed more of it.  She needed Emma.

“Later, Love,” Emma told her breaking the kiss and backing up from the other woman.

“Later?”

“Regina…”

“I know.”

“Look, I’ll make dinner with Coraline.  You go talk to Will.  You and I will have some alone time later and I promise that you will like it,” Emma told her.

“And if I don’t want to wait until later?” Regina asked her, cocking her eyebrow.

“Regina…”

“What?”

“You can’t do or say things like that and just leave,” Emma said pathetically.

“Why not, Darling?  You kissed me and then sent me away.  Fair play and all,” Regina replied walking out of the kitchen and towards the living room to find Will and Coraline.

 

Snow entered the forest sometime around six.  She was looking for Red and she knew where she might be hiding.  There was a clearing about a mile in that only a few people from town knew about.  She’d found Red there many nights during the full moon.  It was a big enough for her to bed down.  Snow wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Ruby that had a den somewhere near there.  She wasn’t going to look for it, either.  She was just trying to find Ruby.

“RUBY!!!”

“I’m here,” she answered stepping around some trees. 

Snow could see the pain in her eyes.  She was covered in foliage and dirt.  She had changed and Snow knew that it had been without a full moon.  She was worried about her friend.

“Rubes, are you okay?”

“I am fine.”

“You changed didn’t you.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“How long ago?”

“About an hour or two, I think.  I am not sure.  It’s not like I understand everything that is going on around me when I am like that,” Ruby stated sitting down on a falling log.

Snow slowly crept over to her.  She didn’t know what to do for her friend.  She knew that Ruby wouldn’t hurt her and neither would the Wolf, but she didn’t want to invoke the Wolf’s wrath either.  The pain in Ruby’s eyes was more apparent the closer she got.  Snow sat down beside her on the log and began to pull the small twigs and other tree bits out of her long mane of hair.

“Tell me what’s going on, Ruby,” she begged.

“I don’t know.”

“What do you remember before you changed?” Snow probed.

“I was walking through the forest to clear my head like I normally do.  I’d been at the diner with Belle, Granny and Will.  I found out that Will isn’t just Vulcannonian.  She is my cousin or aunt or something.  I am not quite sure.  I know that Granny knows.  I just couldn’t be there anymore.  There are too many secrets when it comes to my Wolf lineage, Snow.  It is like Granny only wants to tell me things when she has to tell them to me not because it is part of who I am.”

“Maybe she is trying to protect you,” Snow replied.

“From what?”

“I…”

“From what, Snow?!?” Red asked staring to get angry with her friend.

“I am not exactly sure,” Snow stated.

“What do you know that I don’t, Snow?!?” Ruby hissed.

“Wilhelmina is your cousin.  Her mother and your mother are sisters.  You are both of the Alpha line.  You are both Alphas,” Snow told her.

“Great,” Ruby said immediately calming.

“What?”

“That is why I changed then,” Red replied.

Snow watched her.  She wondered if Red knew more than she let on about her Wolf side and her lineage.  Could she possibly know that she and Will could fight it out for the leadership position of the pack?  She looked into her hazel eyes and waited for her to say more.

“You have to promise me that you won’t start a fight with her, Ruby.”

“I can’t promise that, Snow and you know it.  I can’t want to not do it, but if we are too close to each other the Wolf in me will demand that submit.  I understand your fear.  She is Vulcannonian.  If we fight, I’ll die.  I get it.”

“That is a very distinct possibility.  Red, I can’t lose you.  I can’t lose Regina either.  If you two come to fight for the head Alpha status, you know that it could start a war amongst the town.”

“What can I do?”

“Can you find a way to submit to her?”

“You want me to submit to her?”

“If it will save your life, then yes, submit.”

“But, what if she won’t let me?” Red asked her.

“I doubt that Will would not take your submission.  I am sure that Regina will order her to take it.  Wolf or Vulcannonian, she’ll obey Regina.  She has no choice.”

“Because of her contract?”

“Yes, the Vulcannonian part of her blood will override the Wolf’s.  It may be why we never knew she was part Wolf.  If she does change, it must be at her leisure.  I’ve never seen her as a Wolf and I know that Regina hasn’t either,” Snow told her.

“How do you know that?” Ruby asked her.

“Because she would not have seemed so upset by learning the truth.”

“You’ve told her about our mothers?” Red asked.

“I did, once Granny confirmed it.”

“I’ll speak with Will.”

“Thank you, Red.”

“Don’t thank me yet.  This isn’t done.  This is only the beginning of the turmoil I feel that we are going to have to deal with.  No matter what happens, I need to know that you, Regina and Emma will be there when we have this…discussion.  If things don’t go well…”

“You’re asking me to put you down?” Snow questioned tears in her eyes.

“No, I am asking you to save me from myself.  If our discussion turns into a confrontation, I won’t be able to stop my Wolf.  Instinct will take over and we will fight.  It will be to my death, so I need to know that you will take care of it before it comes to that.”

“I’ll talk to Regina.  We’ll figure something out.  I am not going to lose you to this, Red.  I refuse to lose,” Snow told her.

“I’m guessing that Regina is talking to Will about this.”

“I am sure she is.”

“Fine, I’ll stay out here for a while.  Come back here to find me.  Will discuss a meeting once you and Regina are okay with it.  But, do me one favor, Snow,” Red said.

“What?”

“Don’t tell Belle what’s going on.  I don’t need her worrying about me more than she already is.  She has enough to deal with.  Just let her worry about Rumple and her research.  She doesn’t need to be worried about me.  I’ll be fine out here on my own.  Just tell Granny where I am.  And, remind her to stay out of the way.  I am a Wolf.  I can take care of myself.”

“I’ll do it,” Snow replied.

“Thank you…for everything, Snow.”

“I’ll go talk to Regina again.”

Ruby watched her friend go.  She knew that Snow meant well and she knew that Regina would ask her to submit, too.  Honestly it would be an easy thing.  Red didn’t want to be the leader of any pack.  She was happy being a lone Wolf.  But, things had changed in town.  She knew that the other Wolves would fall in line behind her if they were needed, but she didn’t want to call on them for any reason except to save the town.  Now, after finding out that Wilhelmina was in fact her cousin, she was worried.  She knew that town would split behind them if it came to a war of the Alphas, but Ruby was determined to not let that happen.  She couldn’t afford to on many levels…her life, her family…and Belle.

She sighed and she paced.  The Wolf inside her clawed to get out and for a moment, she knew that it would be safe in the woods to let it run free.  She felt her body give over to that desire as she changed.  She shook her Wolf’s head and a new scent assaulted her nose.

She turned her head skyward and sniffed.  It was the smell of magic, old and foreign, but she knew that it was magic.  She sniffed again trying to locate where the smell was coming from.  She blew out her nose when she realized that it was coming from the well and not town.  Her paws were already moving towards the old well before the thought had completed itself.

As she neared the well, she saw Rumple beside it.  She was still a Wolf, so she hung back in the shadows and watched the Imp.  She saw the glee in his eyes with your yellow Wolf eyes.  She could only wonder what he was up.  Her brain was at war with itself.  She didn’t know whether she should run to town and warn Regina or wait for Snow to come back to her.  Either way, they needed to know and they needed to know quickly.

She turned back towards the clearing and ran as fast as her body could go.  They needed to know.  Alpha war or not, she would protect this town.  It was her pack and she would default to Regina and Snow as her Alphas if need be.  Right now, they needed to know what Rumple was doing, even if she didn’t fully understand what he was doing.

 

Coraline sat down in the den with her sandwich and beer.  She turned the TV on to find something mindless to watch.  She wasn’t surprised that her mothers were uneasy about Will being part Wolf.  It made sense to her in some degree.

Will didn’t favor Red that much, but she did at the same time.  She could see the similarities, but she wondered why that would upset her mother so much.  She knew that Red and Regina were sisters.  It was no secret in the future.  No one dared to make it a problem either.  It was actually considered a good thing.  Red never tried to usurp anyone.  She just stayed in the background and protected her niece.

It had only taken finding the journals for Coraline to learn the truth of Red’s lineage.  She had never used it against her aunt.  It just gave her more credence that Red was just trying to help Regina out more.  The more that she read about Red the more she trusted her.  It just seemed that Red was protecting Coraline not just out of familial duty, but because she loved her like she was her own family, like she was a daughter.  She had stepped up when Regina asked and made sure that Coraline was not just taken care of but loved, too.  It meant more now to her then it did when she realized who Red was to her.

She had just taken a bite of her sandwich when the doorbell rang.  She sat the sandwich on the plate and then the plate on the coffee table.  She took a quick swig of her beer and sat it down.

“I got it,” she yelled at the kitchen, letting both of her mothers know that she would get the door.

She made her way from the den to the front door.  She figured that it was Will and she wanted to talk to her alone before Regina took her off heaven knows where.  She missed her and she was sure that her own mother had told her to stay away for a few days.  She understood that they had an uneasy and complicated relationship, but that didn’t mean that she had to suffer because of it.

She opened the door to find Will on the other side of it.  She smiled at her and Will smiled back.  She thought about how amazing it was that they could communicate so easily with each other without saying a word.  She knew that Red and Belle could do it.  She’d seen it first-hand, but she’d never had anything like it with someone else.  The closest she’d come to something like that was with the other knights, but that was soldiers being soldiers for survival, not love.

“Hi,” Will finally said breaking their silence.

“Come in.  Mom and Ma are expecting you.  They are in the kitchen,” Coraline told her.

“I figured.  You called me to come over remember?  And, I also know that Emma like to stress eat when no one is looking.  I bet she made you a sandwich, too.”

“She did,” Coraline said with a laugh.

“Emma is so predictable sometimes.”

“I am sure that she is.  I wouldn’t know.  I only had them for five years.  I don’t really remember Ma that much.  I was usually with Belle and Mom before everything happened.”

“We’re going to figure it out, Coraline.  I am going to help them.  We’re going to find a way to beat the Blackness.  I am not going to let anything happen to them.  I can’t.”

“I know,” Coraline stated as she leaned towards Will, who graciously took her weight.

Coraline leaned into her warmth and immediately felt a calm that she couldn’t describe.  She let Will hold her and keep her fears at bay.  She wished that she could have more of this with Will and she knew that she would have to talk to Regina in order to get it.  She would have to make her mother understand how she felt when she was around Will.  For her part, Will rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head.

“I miss you,” Coraline whispered.

“I know.”

“I’ll talk to Mom,” Coraline told her.

“I’ll talk to her, Coraline.  Don’t push her away.  Keep her close to you now.  You need her.”

Coraline looked up at her and studied her azure blue eyes.  She could see the love reflected back at her.  She gave her a quick hug and pushed her towards the kitchen.

“Mom and Ma are in the kitchen.  Go ahead and head that way.  I’ll be in the den watching TV waiting for you all to get done.  I want to go out tonight, if we can.” Coraline told her.

“I’ll talk with Regina.  Let me go and get this over with.  I am sure that they have something important to talk to me about.  I’ll come back and tell you good-bye before I leave.  Coraline, I am not going to push the issue with your mothers.  I love you and I love her.  Unfortunately for both of us, I am still under Vulcannonian contract with her.  She still owns me, Coraline.  I cannot change that until she lets me go.”

“I know, but it isn’t fair for either of us.”

“I’ll talk to her, Coraline.  I can’t promise anything.  I owe her so much for leaving her.”

“I know you feel guilty about that, Will, but you can’t control her.”

“I could have prevented a lot of it, though.” Will explained.

“Then, Henry and I wouldn’t exist,” Coraline replied.

“I know.  I know.  Trust me on that, I know.  I have lived many lifetimes.  Coraline, I know more than I let on most times.  But, I regret leaving her the way I did.  I could have been more…”

“Communicative about it?” Regina asked, finding them in the foyer.

“Yes, Majesty.  I believe that I could have.  I am sorry for that.”

“Coraline, go help Emma make dinner.  I’ll be back in a few minutes.  Let’s go into the study and talk,” Regina stated.

“Yes, Majesty.”

“She’s staying for dinner,” Coraline declared as she wondered into the kitchen to help Emma.

“I see,” Regina stated as she followed Will into her study.

She immediately poured Will at tumbler of cider and handed it to her.  She still had her wine.  She sipped it as she sat down on the couch.  She watched as Will sat herself down on the other.

“She definitely has your defiance,” Will told her taking a slow sip of the cider.

“I think she comes by that naturally from both of us.   She is going to be a handful as a child, I fear.   I am also scared that I won’t be able to be there to enjoy her mischief.   But, that isn’t the reason that I asked you here tonight.”

“I didn’t think it was.”

Regina sat down her wine glass and studied Will.   Her normally clear blue eyes were dancing with fire and love.   She could see it in her face.   The few moments that she was afforded in the foyer with Coraline had renewed her somehow.   It also gave her the needed motivation to follow Regina’s orders so that she could prove herself worthy of Her Majesty’s daughter.

“I know you love her.”

“I do.”

“Then understand that when I ask this, it isn’t because I want to ask you this.  I am giving you this order to protect my family…all of it, even the ones that not everyone knows about.  Do you understand that?” Regina asked her.

“My service is to you, Majesty.  I serve the royal family as an afterthought.  If someone has threatened you, Emma, Henry or Coraline, I will make them pay for the insult and then then threat.  Who is it that needs to feel my wrath?” Will asked very seriously.

“No, there will be no wrath.”

“Then, what is it, Majesty?”

“I have been told of your lineage.”

“Yes, what of it?”

“It seems that you and Ruby share a common ancestor, Will.”

“Who?”

“Your grandfather’s…your mother’s were sisters.”

“So what?”

“You’re both Alphas of the pack.”

“I see.”

“Do you?” Regina asked.

“I shall submit to her, Regina.  Have no worries about that.  I will submit to my Alpha.”

“You will?”

“Yes.”

“Why?” Regina questioned.

“Because even though I was born to the Alpha line, being a Beta is what I have always been.  When mother died, Rohan became the Alpha with his wife.  No one questioned it, even though the pack Alpha line usually falls to the female side.  I quickly submitted to him, not only for the Wolf side of our world, but also for the Vulcannonian.  I will have no problem bending my knee to her.  She is my Alpha.  I’ll tell her that myself.”

“Good.”

“So, can I stay for dinner?”

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.”

“I do love her.”

“I know.”

“I won’t hurt her.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you distancing us?”

“Because she is my daughter and she will hurt you.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because, I hurt you.  She won’t be able to help it.  It is in her nature,” Regina explained.


	28. Chapter 28

Regina and Will sat in the study staring at each other.  There didn’t seem to be anything else to say.  They had said enough before.  Regina was afraid of what Coraline would do to Will and Will that she had somehow offended Regina.

“We need to discuss that more,” Will told her.

“I don’t think that there is any more to say.”

“There is, Regina and you know it.”

“As long as you defend this family and submit to Ruby’s Alpha status, there is nothing else to discuss,” Regina told her.

“You know I will do that, Regina.  I have sworn to do that.  Eventually you will have to let Coraline go and deal with the fact that I have imprinted on her.  You will have to see that everything I do, everything that I have been doing is for her and by extension you, Regina.”

“You say that now, but I still can’t let you go.”

“Why NOT?!?”

“She is my daughter.  I have to protect her…even if it is from herself.  There are things about this world that she doesn’t know, that she doesn’t understand.  She doesn’t understand what you are either, Will.  I know you love her.  I know that she loves you, but she doesn’t get that you can’t die.  She doesn’t understand that you will live on when she dies.  She doesn’t understand that she will age as you don’t.  She doesn’t understand that it will drive you insane to watch her die.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do, Will. I do.  I have aged at least ten years.  You haven’t aged a day since I met you.  Snow will tell you the same thing, Will.  What are you going to do when she dies?”

“Die as well?”

“Will…”

“Can you not give me this moment of happiness before she goes back to the future?”

“Will, it will do no one any good.”

“Why won’t you let me try?” Will asked almost defeated.

Regina looked at her.  She knew that she shouldn’t keep Will from Coraline.  She knew that Will would be good for her, but she couldn’t forget the past.  She was afraid for them.  They could both hurt each other very deeply and Regina was scared about that.  They were both dangerous for each other. 

“I just can’t, Will.  I can’t.  She is my daughter.”

“And, I love her.”

“I know that.  Trust me, I do.  I can see it.  I’ll give you this even though every fiber of my being is telling me not to,” Regina started.

“What?”

“I’ll not deny you Coraline as long as you still swear to obey me.”

“Done.”

“I’ll not condone this relationship any further, until I have some proof that things will be okay.  I won’t submit her to a fate that she can’t understand.  She is an adult and as such I cannot forbid her from seeing you.  I just ask that you limit her exposure for now.  Can you do that?”

“I will do it.  I will prove myself to you, Regina.  I will earn your trust again,” Will stated.

“I am not worried about your trust or your loyalty, Will.  I never was.  I never will be.”

“Then what is it?  What are you so afraid of?  Can you tell me?” Will asked her.

“I don’t want to lose her.”

“I won’t let that happen,” Will affirmed.

“We can’t stop it.  She’ll have to go back once we figure out how she got here.  She can’t stay here, Will.  It will throw off the entire timeline more than it already has.  She just can’t possibly stay.  I can only hope that I have shown her enough love now that she can forgive my future self for dying and leaving her alone.”

“She won’t be alone, Regina.”

“How do you know that?” Regina questioned.

“I wasn’t there in her timeline before.  I will be there now.  I will never leave her side, Regina.  I swear to you.  She will not be alone.  I will be there for her.  Even if we can’t stop the Blackness, you will still send her off with Red and Belle.  I will stay with them.  I will protect them.”

“I know,” she whispered.

“Regina, if you need to take me back to the vault and hurt me, I’ll understand.  All you need to do is say the word and we will go.  I am at your mercy, Majesty,” Will told her.

“NO!”

“Whenever you need me, I’ll be here for you,” Will stated taking a more prostrated position.

“Will stop.  We can’t do that again.  It isn’t right.  I know that I can take my frustrations out on your flesh, but I shouldn’t.  You might be immortal, but you still have feelings.”

“I do, but I can see that you are hurting.”

“It is a good pain, Will.  This isn’t the Forest.  I’ve learned to process it better.”

“I can see that, Regina.  Believe me about that.  I know you better than most.  I can see the changes in you.  Emma has been good for you.  So has Henry.  I can tell that you want what is best for the town.  You have learned to put others before yourself.  I know, Regina.  I know that you will do anything to protect this town, even be stupid enough to challenge Rumple one on one if you think that will help things.  You have a singular focus with your family.”

“I have always protected what is dear to me.”

“I get that.  I see it.  Trust me, Regina.  We all know it.”

“I don’t want her to get hurt, Will.”

“I am not going to hurt her,” Will told her.

“That remains to be seen.  But trust me when I tell you that if you do, I will end you.  That isn’t a threat, Will.  I will do it.  I will find a way to do it.  I will not stop.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Will replied honestly.

 

Rumple was huddled over the well.  The ancient tome was balance on the old stone top.  He looked down into the water and smiled.  He couldn’t wait to get the portal open.  He was so focused in his mission that he didn’t notice Ruby in the woods nearby watching him.

He pulled out the mixture that he’d made back at the shop.  He poured it into the well and waited.  Ruby took this moment to move a little closer, silently because she didn’t want to alert him to her presence there.

She hunkered down behind a large tree trunk.  She could smell the magic from where she was.  She thanked the powers that he that she was a Wolf.  It meant that she could get close enough without being up under him to see what was going on with him.  She decided that it would be easier to spy on his as a Wolf.

She had found a way to retain her memories as a Wolf.  It had taken time and effort, but she had   done it.  Not many Wolves could do that.  She wondered if it was an Alpha trait.  She didn’t have time to ponder it too much because the Imp was moving too much.  Something wasn’t right.

She lowered herself to the forest floor and watched him with her keen eyes.  She continually sniffed the air, trying to discern what magics he was using.  She could only hope that she could explain them to Regina when she got to her house.  She turned her eyes up to the sky.

The sun was setting just beyond the forest.  The rich glows of red and purple in the sky told her that it was getting later than she thought.  She needed to make her way to Regina’s and quickly.

She was torn.  She didn’t want to be running at night as a Wolf through town.  It could cause a panic and she knew it.  She would need to phase before heading back but she would have to do it closer to town.

She sniffed the air again.  The magic had changed.  She would wait.  She needed to know more about what Rumple was doing before she alerted anyone.

For his part, Rumple was still oblivious to Red’s presence.  He added more of his mixture to the well and waited again.  He stared at the book, silently reading the bloody words on the pages and waiting for the portal to open.  He knew that spell wasn’t easy.  He knew that might not work the first time, but he was still hoping that it would.  He placed a worn finger on a page and started skimming across it.

“Dragon’s blood,” he said out loud.  “Damn it.  I don’t have any dragon’s blood.  Where the Hell am I supposed to get that here?  It isn’t like Maleficent is still here to drain.”

He threw items into the well.  The well spewed out a noxious green cloud.  Red moved slightly.  She wasn’t sure if she should run away then or wait.  She rustled the leave and Rumple heard it.  He looked over to where she was hiding, but he couldn’t see her.  She lowered herself down to the ground further her, blending in with the undergrowth and forest floor.  If he did come looking for her, she wouldn’t be seen.

“I wonder what I can use instead of Dragon’s Blood,” he mused.

He closed the tome and gathered up his vials.  He was leaving.  He had failed tonight, but Red knew that he would be back and probably soon.  She took off towards town as fast as she could.  She waited until she was at the edge of the forest before she changed.  She took off to Regina’s.

She shook herself off.  She had run so hard that she was sure that she would be abnormally sweaty once she phased back into her human form.  She was pleasantly surprised when she wasn’t.  She quickly brushed off little bits of the forest from her arms as she moved to the roadway.

She was glad to be away from Rumple.  She was sure that if he had spied her out there with him that he would have done something to her.  He knew that Belle was staying with her and that he blamed her for Belle staying away.  She sighed.

There was too much lust in her head.  She knew that the passions and desires, as carnal as they were, always took a little while to calm that part of herself.  She realized then she didn’t have the time as she needed to get to Regina’s quickly.  She shook her head to try to clear her thoughts.

She didn’t pace herself.  She ran full tilt across town.  She was glad for the extra speed because it made the trip quicker than normal.  She stopped as she made it to the fence in front of Regina’s house.  She walked assuredly and swiftly to the front door.

She wasn’t surprised to hear Regina and Will yelling at each other.  She knew that no one else in the house could hear them.  She only could because of her Wolf hearing.  She let out a deep breath and raised her hand to knock on the door.  She rapped on the door twice.

Regina answered the door, surprised to see to Ruby standing there.  She could tell that there was something wrong, but she couldn’t tell what it was.  She could smell the forest on Ruby, though.

“You’ve been running?”

“I needed to think,” Red answered.

“About?”

“Family.”

“I know about your relation to Will.”

“I figured,” Red stated.

“But, that isn’t why you are here, is it?” Regina questioned.

“Invite me in and I’ll tell you.”

“Why do I think I am not going to like this?” Regina quipped, moving out of the way to allow her in the house and into the foyer.

“Because I didn’t.  I came here first.  I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Come with me, then,” Regina told her ushering her into the study where Will was.

Regina watched as both Will and Red sized each other up, slightly.  She released her pent up breath when she saw Will bow deeply to Red and welcome her into the room.  She knew what Will was doing even if Red didn’t.  She was protecting the family...all of it and bowing to her Alpha.  She was submitting.  Red gave her a quizzical look, but nodded back at her in response.

The tension left the room with the gesture.  Regina suddenly felt like things would be okay.  She still didn’t know what was going on, but she knew that they had averted one crisis just then.

“Please sit,” Regina told her.

Red sat down and studied her elder sister, the mayor, and Will.  There was something off between them.  She could smell it, but it didn’t matter at the moment.  She needed to tell them about Rumple and what she saw.

“What?” Regina asked watching Ruby as she studied Will further.

“You need to get Emma.  This isn’t going to be something that I am going to want to say more than once.  And before you ask, yes, Regina it involves the town.”

“I’ll be right back,” Regina told her, then she gave Will a look as she left the room to get Emma.

As soon as Regina was gone, Red was off the couch.  She was in Will’s face, who was still pacing in front of the fire place.  Will spun around almost into her with the speed in which Red got to her.  The fire in their eyes was only eclipsed by the flashes of the Wolf trying to get out.

“Regina is afraid of us,” Red said.

“She isn’t afraid of us, Ruby.  She is afraid for us.  She figured out our bloodlines before we did.  Sure, Snow warned her when she got all the details, but she is right to be scared.  We could destroy this town if we wished and you know that, Ruby.”

“What do you mean?”

“We, in other circumstances, would fight to the death for the leadership of a pack.  I am not going to fight you, Red.  I have no reason to fight you.  You are my cousin and I hope a friend.”

“I would like that.”

“Then there is nothing that we need to do.  I readily submit to you as my Alpha.  I will do what I can for you as long as it doesn’t interfere with my contract with Regina.”

“You submit to me?” Ruby questioned.

“I do.  I have no want to be part of a pack, Red.  I know the blood of a Wolf, but I don’t know that I want it.  Even when I lived on Vulcannonian, I didn’t have strong ties to anyone in my family except my brother.  My own father didn’t know me once I was I came of age.  My mother was a Wolf.  Your mother was a Wolf.  We are cousins.  We are family.”

“We are family.”

“I don’t know what else to tell you, Ruby.  I won’t fight you.  I willingly submit to you.  I was born to be a Beta.  I was never meant to be an Alpha.  I wasn’t raised to be an Alpha.  I was just supposed to be a princess and then a soldier.  I was a knight and that was my job.  I was to protect my family at all costs, but not even I could save my mother.”

“Cyanae died when you were child?”

“I was old enough to know what I was and what my lot in life was going to be.  I never thought that my own father would put me out.  He traded me to Leopold for a favor.  What that favor was, I don’t know.  All I know is that Regina became my family.  Now, she and you are my only family.  I am not going to do anything to jeopardize that.  Surely you can understand that.”

“I can.”

“Then understand that I will not do anything to usurp your role in this town.  This is still your place, Ruby.  I am not going to do anything to upset this place.  I only want to love Coraline and protect my family.  I am sure that you will do the same.”

“I want to,” Ruby stated.

“Then help me.”

“How?”

“We need to seek out a way to stop the Blackness.”

“And how do you propose we do that?  Regina and Belle have been searching for answers.  Emma and Snow are trying to figure things out between them and how to survive back in the Forest.  Everyone that is around you has been dealing with the same three things,” Red told her.

“And what are they?”

“You, Coraline and the Blackness.”

“But, now we know why I am here and who I am.  We all also know the truth about Coraline’s presence.  Now we need to focus on the cause of the Blackness and stop it.  I can’t be reason that it happens, but I will be the reason that it doesn’t take Regina and Emma away from Coraline.”

“I admire your conviction, but we don’t know that.”

“I swore to protect this family, Ruby.  I mean to do that.  Even if I have to die to do it, I will.”

“You can’t die.  You’re Vulcannonian, remember?  You’re immortal.”

“I am only as immortal as I want to be,” Will told her.

Red regarded what she was saying.  She gave her a quizzical look, but she didn’t have any time to question her further about her statement.  Emma and Regina had come into the room. 

“So, what’s going on?” Emma asked.

Regina watched her half-sister and her protector eyeing each other.  She looked from one to the other and then at Emma.  There was some sort of compromise that had happened while she was gone but she wasn’t sure what it was.  She also wasn’t sure that she wasn’t going to like it.  There was always a chance that Red and Will would bind themselves together as family and protect the town the way they were meant to, but it wasn’t going to be an easy alliance.  They all knew that, and that is what worried Regina the most.  They all knew what would happen if Red and Will went at each other.  It wouldn’t be pleasant. 

Regina had to find a way to keep the town together and save it at the same time.  She had to save them all from a threat that no one understood or knew where it came from.  This was now Regina’s mission.  She had to spare Coraline this problem.  She was her mother and this was her fight, not her daughter’s.

“Rumple is up to something,” Red blurted out.

“When isn’t he?” Emma quipped.

“I’m serious, Em.  He was out in the woods at the well.  He was trying to cast some sort of spell.  I couldn’t make out what he was saying, but I know that it couldn’t be good.  It’s Rumple.”

“Did you hear anything that he said?” Regina asked suddenly very interested and solemn.

“I couldn’t make out.  I wasn’t close enough to hear him completely.  I was in Wolf form.  I was trying to get as close as I could without him seeing me.  I came here as soon as he started back to town.  I needed to get to you.  I needed to make sure that we are ready for him,” Ruby asked.

Regina and Will gave each other a look.  They wondered what she actually saw.  Ruby and Emma were sitting on the couch watching Regina and Will. 

“I’m sorry I don’t have more information for you.”

“It’s fine, Ruby.  You’ve given me more than we had before tonight.  I knew that he was up to something, but now, we have proof.  What else can you tell me about what you saw?” Regina asked her, sitting down and facing them as Will sat down behind.

“Anything you can tell us will be better in the long run,” Will added.

Ruby shivered.  Emma felt it on the couch and she caught Regina’s eye.  They were all waiting to see what else Ruby could remember about the encountered in the woods.  Ruby sighed.

“What is it, Ruby?” Emma asked.

“I am not sure, but he got real mad at the end it.  He seemed like he was cursing at the well.  He had some really old looking book,” Ruby answered.

“I know that this is going to be a weird question for me to ask, but I need to ask it.  The old book that you saw.  Do you remember anything about it?  Did it have a smell to it?” Will asked.

“Yeah, it did,” Ruby replied quickly.

“What does that matter?” Emma asked watching Regina get a little more uncomfortable as to how this conversation was going.

“Ruby, what did it smell like?” Will inquired ignoring Emma’s question entirely.

“Blood….it smelt like old, dried blood.”

“Tell me that he doesn’t have a copy of that tome, Regina.  Tell me he doesn’t.  You are the only one that would know.  Tell me he doesn’t have it,” Will stated turning to face Regina head on.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?!?”

“Emma, call Belle,” Regina instructed.

“And, say what?”

“Just call her.  I need to ask her a question regarding that book.  She would be the only other one who would know.”

“I’ll call her,” Ruby added.

“Quickly.”

Ruby pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number.  She could only hope that Belle was back at her apartment above Granny’s and not near Rumple.  If she was, it might make things difficult.  And, right now, difficult was not what they needed.

“Belle, hey, it’s Ruby.”

“What’s wrong?” she immediately asked.

“Regina needs to ask you some questions about a book that Rumple might have,” Ruby told her.

“I’ll tell her whatever I know.”

“Thank you,” Ruby replied.

She handed her cell phone over to Regina.  As she took the phone, Will was up and off the couch.  It didn’t take long for Ruby to realize that she was listening to the conversation between Regina and Belle.  She could hear it all and she was grunted in obvious places and sighing in others.  To the untrained human eye, she looked frustrated.  To Ruby, she was getting pissed and rightfully so about what Rumple was attempting to do in the woods.

Regina handed the phone back to Ruby.   She looked at Will.  Her face was pale.

“Why does the look on your face make me want to go kill him?” Emma asked her.

“Because we might need to,” Regina answered truthfully.

“What do you mean?” Will asked.

“I need to talk to Coraline.  I need to find out how much she remembers.  There are things that we need to do.  If he truly has that volume, we need to be prepared.  We aren’t prepared.  I never thought that it would happen.  Especially after Pan and the second curse….I can’t do this again….I just can’t watch it disenagrate….I can’t….I won’t,” Regina said very rapidly.

Will grabbed her and spun her around.  She forced Regina to look into her eyes.  Blue meet brown and held.  A moment passed and nothing was said.

“Emma, get your daughter.  Ruby, go get Belle and Snow.  Bring them here.”

“Umm…Will?”

“Ruby, go.”

“This isn’t an Alpha thing is it?” Ruby asked, her body bowing up for a fight.

“No, young one, this is war.  Rumple started it a long time ago and I am going to finish it.  Contract or no contract Regina, I will end him.  Ruby, go.  This has nothing to do with us and everything to do with saving our family.  GO!!!”

Red didn’t need to hear another word.  She was out the room and the front door, phasing before she hit the sidewalk.  This was not the time to care about the panic of the townspeople.  She had to save them.  This was trying to save everyone and everything.  They would just have to be angry about it until they understood why later.

“Regina…”

“Get Coraline, Emma.  I’ll explain everything in a minute.  Just trust me.  It’s bad.”

“Can we never just have a quiet night a home?” Emma asked rhetorically, sighing, and going to fetch Coraline from the living room to help them in their time of need.

“Calm down, Regina.”

“How do you expect me to be calm when I know that he has that book?”

“You can’t slip.”

“I am not going to slip.  I am going to kill him and be done with it.  I should have done it years ago.  He made me and I will end him.”

“You can’t take on his power.  It will destroy you further than he tried.  Think of Henry.  Think of Emma.  Think of Coraline.  You cannot become the Dark One, Majesty.  If you do, I failed.”

Regina stopped and studied her face.  The tears were there.  She, even in the extremity of her anger, was still trying to protect Regina and the family.  She never stopped.

“No matter what happens.  I will kill him.  If you have to, you can destroy me.  There are ways.  I am prepared.  I will be his Omega.  I will end the legacy of the Dark One,” Will told her, still holding her, stroking her hair and willing Regina to calm.

 

Rumple was in the back of his shop.  He threw the tome down on the workbench and muttered under his breath.  He was cussing, but not in any language that any Earthling knew.  He debated whether or not that Regina would even know the tongue with as much magic as she had absorbed over the years.  It still wasn’t helping him figure out how he was going to find Dragon’s blood in a world with no magic. 

Sure, he could conjure one, but at what cost.  He could try to capture Will, but she had proven to be difficult to keep captured once she was taken.  And, she was very, very wary of him.  She would be the absolute last resort.  No, he needed to find an alternative.  There had to be something in some book that he owned that would tell him what to do.

He tore his book shelves apart.  He didn’t find the answers.  Then, he hesitated before taking his frustrations out on the bookshelf before him.  Belle had been in the shop.  He could still smell her perfume.  It had once been a calming smell.  Now, it only seemed to enrage him more.  She had been in the shop. 

“What did you take this time, Belle?” he asked as he started making a mental inventory of what he knew he should have and didn’t.

Nothing seemed to be missing but the Vulcannonian contracts and parchments that she had taken days earlier.  This didn’t bother him so much.  There was nothing on those pages that would help him.  All the Vulcannonians listed on those pages were dead.  As were their charges.  There couldn’t have been anything more valuable in them.  He’d read them a dozen times over since he unleashed his curse upon the Vulcannonians.

But there was still something that he didn’t understand about Wilhelmina and the curse.  Why didn’t she die like the rest.  She seemed to thrive as she spent countless hours and days searching for a cure that Rumple knew he would never give her.  He needed her broken so she would leave Regina.  It seems though that he fortified her in some way.  She wouldn’t leave Regina’s side now.  Nor, Emma’s or Coraline’s for that fact.  He knew it would cause all-out war if he tried something against any of them.  If he had to go to war he would, but he really didn’t want to. 

Henry would be in the way and he would of course choose Regina over him.  He always would.  He couldn’t blame the boy for that.  He would choose a loving parent over a deranged grandpa any day.  It also didn’t help that Emma was in the picture and her parents.  The boy didn’t lack in love.  And, Rumple knew because of that, he would never turn Henry.  Even if he dared to try, Emma and Regina would kill him.

No, he liked his life and he liked his head where it was.  He couldn’t find Regina.  At least, not head on anymore.  He would have to find another way.  He would have to manufacture a reason.

He sat down.  He needed Belle.  He thought better when she was around, but he had been a fool and started the fight with her in the diner.  He needed to make look good, but unfortunately the dinner crowd hadn’t entered the diner when he did.  There had been a total of five people in the diner, most of which were staff.  Another plan that backfired.

It was the reason he was in the predicament he was in now.  He rushed things and it didn’t work.  Now he had wasted some of his precious stock that he might not be able to replicate or replenish. 

“I wonder what the fairies have in their stores.  Surely they would have some Dragon’s blood.  It is very magical and very potent.  I wonder what Blue has stored up there,” he wondered aloud.

He grabbed his cane and stared for the door.  Before he made it to the door, he turned around.  He’d realized that he’d left the tome sitting out on the workbench.  He trusted Belle, but he didn’t trust the lot of them.  He knew that if they could convince her that he had that tome that they would find a way for her to sneak in and get it away from him.  They didn’t understand that he was trying to protect them all. 

It didn’t hurt that in protecting them, he was protecting himself.  He was selfish and he knew it.  He loved Belle too much to see her in pain.  He was not going to allow the Blackness to take over the town and with it him.  Coraline’s stories, from what he had managed to get out of them was that he wasn’t there in the future, were mostly apocalyptic in nature for the town and its people.  It worried him, but it didn’t at the same time.  And, every time that he tried to see the future that Coraline had described, he failed.  He could only go so far and usually it was only a few months after Coraline’s birth. 

He tucked the tome under one arm and grabbed his cane with the other.  He thought it was high time that he visited Blue again.  He could only hope that she would be…accommodating for him.  He had a strange and a large smile on his face as he walked to his car.  He would have to make Blue see things his way.  He only hoped that he wouldn’t have to be too…persuasive about it.

 

Snow and Belle had come as soon as Ruby beckoned them.  Charming had taken Neal to Granny’s and then headed for the Abbey and the fairies.  They could only all hope that they were early enough to protect the fairies.  It had been Snow’s idea.  Somehow she just knew that Blue was stock piling potions and other magical items.  She had heard from Tink that her inventories were worse than Ruby’s weekly ones at the diner.  It had been enough to work with and for once, she was grateful for all the planning and strategy that her battles with Regina caused her to learn.

They didn’t even knock when they arrived back at the mayoral mansion.  Ruby just let them in like she owned the place and showed them into the study.  Regina gave her a smirk to which Ruby just shrugged her shoulders and sat down on a couch away from the fire.  Her body was still warm from all the changing that night and she was trying to be helpful and cool off at the same time.

“What is it, Regina?” Snow asked immediately sitting down.

“Ruby caught Rumple trying to cast a spell at the well tonight.”

“A spell?” Snow asked.

“What kind of spell?” Belle inquired.

“I don’t know.  Ruby was too far away to hear what he was saying, but she could smell it.  The fact that she could smell the magic that he was using is helpful, but that isn’t what worries me the most about this incident,” Regina told them.

“You’re being strangely calm about this,” Snow stated.

“She doesn’t have a choice in the matter,” Will replied.

Emma, Coraline and Snow all turned to Will.  The noticed the sheer intensity in her eyes.  They decided that they would wait to question that statement…later…possibly individually.  Emma was the first to give Will a look but she did nothing more than gape at her old friends statement.  Coraline watched her in amazement.  She was all fury and muscle and it was enough to keep her mother calm.  She could only wonder why.  Snow looked between them.  She could see that there was more that needed to be said.  She would wait.  She would bide her time and then she would ask Regina, not Will, what she actually meant.

“But, you called me and asked me about the book?” Belle questioned bringing them all back to the problem truly at hand in that moment.

“I did.”

“Why?”

“The tome I was asking you about is very old and very deadly.  I don’t think even the Dark One truly understands it power.  And, with someone like Rumple having it in his possession, I am sure that nothing good will happen,” Regina stated.

“What is the book?” Emma asked.

“It is a tome that was written in the blood of its author,” Regina said.

“In his what?” Snow questioned.

“His blood.  And, he wasn’t just the author of the book.  He made magic with those pages.  It was all types of magic, good and evil.  He didn’t have a basis for his work.  He just thought up the spell and cast it.  If it worked, he wrote it in the tome in blood.  He was the originator of the portal magic.  The book that Rumple has is the portal tome of the first Vulcannonians,” Will told as she began to pace the room.

Belle watched her.  She saw the anxiety building.  Her body was taught with fury and no outlet.

“What does he intend to do with it?” Snow asked.

“I would think that he is trying to open a portal somewhere,” Regina quipped as if Snow should have seen the writing on the wall.

“He is the one starts the timeline…” Coraline blurted out and faded into a whisper.

“It would seem so,” Regina replied.

“What do we do?”

“We need to figure out which spell he is trying to cast.”

“And, how do we do that?” Snow asked.

“We might have to go to war against him.”

“Can you handle that, Belle?” Emma asked.

“If he is the cause of the Blackness, we must find a way to stop him.”

“He’s brought this fight to my doorstep, Belle.  I cannot ignore it.  I must give him some sort of answer.  He is threatening my family.  I cannot ignore that, Belle.  I just can’t.  I will not let him harm this family.  I will not let him harm this town.  I will not let him harm you.”

“I know,” Belle answered quietly.

“We need to prepare for war,” Will stated.

She had finally stopped pacing.  Her body was as rigid as it ever was.  Everyone could feel the anger flowing through her and the room.  Her whole body was aching for a fight.  Emma joined her in the pacing.  They could read each other.  They knew each other and they knew that Rumple would do.

“He is going to do it for Belle,” Emma stated as she turned to face her family and friends, her new family, and her child, her future family.  “We have to stop him.  No matter the cost.  He cannot succeed in this quest of his.”

“She is right,” Belle stated.  “We have to stop him.  And, I know how.”


	29. Chapter 29

They were all standing inside the Abbey waiting on Rumple to get there.  They knew that he would come their eventually.  He would have to.  He needed to get his hands on some more items so that he could try to cast the spell again. 

Belle has been right in thinking that Rumple would come there.  It didn’t take long for Regina to see the writing on the wall, either.  They poofed to the Abbey, all of them, seconds after Belle told them she knew how to stop Rumple.  Red and Will were both pacing in a back room like caged animals.  Their inner Wolves were begging to get out and destroy.

Coraline, Will, and Regina with the help of the fairies set up a perimeter and a warning system.  They would know that Rumple was there before he knew that they knew.  It wasn’t fool proof but it would be effective.  They would hide and Blue would try to ascertain what he was really after.  Belle was being taken further into the Abbey and hidden. 

If somehow Rumple had figured out that Belle was there, he would try to destroy the Abbey to get to her.  Rumple would stop at nothing when it came to finding his son Neal and Belle.  He would do almost anything to protect what he deemed as his own.  He was single minded in that respect.  Regina had known that all along.  She had seen it before when she was younger but she was too wrapped up in her own pain to deal with his.  Rumple’s pain helped her drive her own.

Blue had already sent the rest of the fairies to the cloisters.  She didn’t want them in this fight if things went sideways.  Regina had agreed to pose as Nova when the time came and Rumple was there.  Tink would stay behind at Blue’s behest to protect them all.  She would carry on the purpose of the fairies and protect their magic from the coming Blackness if somehow they all died.  Tink would protect the family and that was enough for Regina and for Blue.

Red could smell how deep in the caves Belle was.  She sniffed continually to make sure that she was still okay.  Any change in her scent and Will knew that she would be gone.  There would be nothing that she could do to stop her and truth be told, she wouldn’t anyway.  She would stay and fight Rumple, giving Red, Belle and the rest of them time to flee.

“Coraline is going to be mad if comes to that,” Red said aloud.

“You don’t think that I know that.”

“She came back to save us and instead she may have delivered us to the Blackness,” Red said.

Will’s head turned sharply, quickly.  She was upon Red faster than she thought possible.  She had never unleashed the inner Wolf before, but there was something about threatening Coraline that always set her on edge.

“Easy now, Will.  I meant no disrespect by it.  But, we both know that Regina is posing as Tink.  If she dies, Coraline is going to lose her mind.  She’ll blame herself this time for Regina’s death.  But that isn’t the worst part of it,” Red stated watching Will’s eyes as they finally realized the truth of the situation they found themselves in.

“If Regina dies, Coraline dies?”

“Exactly.”

“Then Regina will not die,” Will stated.

“And, how do you think that isn’t going to happen when Rumple finds out that he can’t get what he needs?” Red asked her, pacing the room again, her body coiled and looking for a fight.

“I will not allow it.”

Red laughed.  It was deep and sickening.  Will watched her, gauged her and waited.  What was Red playing at?  Will had been sent away.  She was told to stay with Red and “heel” like a good guard dog.  What was Regina playing at?  What had she missed?

Red watched as the anger rolled through her.  There was no hiding it.  And, in that moment, Red wanted to push her buttons and keep her angry.  She knew first hand that an angry Wolf was not something that anyone wanted to toil with, and the fact that Will was also Vulcannonian would only make it worse.  She would be unstoppable.  Silver wouldn’t even slow her down.

“You need to calm down,” Regina’s melodic voice filled the room and Will stopped pacing.

“You cannot do this,” Will stated standing right in front of her.

“I can and I will.”

“You cannot sacrifice yourself to stop him,” Will accused.

“Who said anything about sacrificing myself?” Regina asked her and then stared at Red.

“What?” Red asked.

“What did you say to her?” Regina questioned, her ire flaring.

“I told her the truth,” Red replied.

“Which is?”

“That if you die, Coraline will cease to be.  If for some reason that she doesn’t, she will go mad because she will blame herself for your death this time.  You don’t have a tendency to think things all the way through before you do them, Regina.”

“Why would you tell her that?” Regina asked, more like shouted at her half-sister.  “She is my Vulcannonian and she is bound to Coraline.  Are you insane?”

“She’s bound to Coraline?” Red asked studying them both.

She could tell that fire in the brown eyes of Regina were mixed, passion and anger.  The fire in the sapphire eyes of her cousin and fellow pack mate was burning at uncontrollable temperature.  Red wasn’t sure who she was more afraid of in that moment, Regina or Will. 

“Just as you are to Belle,” Regina said incredulously.

Will’s head snapped up from the spot on the floor she was studying, trying to calm herself.  She met the hazel eyes of Red.  She watched her body tighten at Regina’s words.  It was secret and Regina had just told the one person that could actually end Red.

Will’s body began to swell.  Regina had seen this before, on battlefields, in bars and taverns, but never in her home.  Sure they weren’t home, but this wasn’t about respect of titles.  She reached out and touched Will’s arm, hoping that her contact would ease her mind.  Will’s eyes turned from Red and back to Regina. 

“Belle?” she mouthed.

“Yes,” Red answered just above a whisper.

“Does she know?” Will asked her.

“No.”

“But, Coraline and Regina do?”

“Coraline figures it out in the future or so she told me.  Regina is my sister.  She just knew.”

Will stares at Regina again.  Her eyes flash yellow only for a split second and then a calm comes over her body.  She relaxes and Regina breathes a sigh of relief.  Her eyes dart around the room that they have been in until she finds something to sit on.  She makes her body move towards the bench and she sits down.  Regina follows her, never letting her hand leave Will’s body. 

“Is there no one that I’m not related to in some way?” Will asked.

“Emma said the same thing, dear.  You know us wacky royals.  We can’t ever follow the rules that we put in place.  Why should fairy tale royals be any different?  We may not all be blood at this point but we are still a family…a family I meant to protect, all of it,” Regina told her.

“I understand that…” Will started.

“That doesn’t change the fact that Rumple has Book of Portals from Ramgad Antaf.”

“I know that,” Will replied.

“How else do you propose we stop him then, Will?”

“I don’t know.”

“I don’t either.  I don’t want him to destroy this town or this family.  He wants Belle.  We all know that.  He wants his power, but he wants Belle, too.  He’s lost his son Baelfire.  He’s losing Belle a little more each day.  He knows it.  He’s breaking.  His heart is hardened into a black mass.  The more he does, the more I fear that he is the Blackness.”

“How do we stop him?”

“I don’t know that ‘we’ can,” Regina stated.

“I will not ask her to do that,” Red said through clenched teeth.

“No one is asking you to, Red.  Nor, would I ask that of Belle.  I know what Rumple is capable of.  I’ve seen it firsthand.  He will try to break her will to his own, but she won’t break.  He is trying to find a way to make her see his mistakes are hers, too.  He is trying to punish her for leaving him by twisting his logic in his head so that it seems what he is doing is really helpful for her and the town.  The more she pulls away the harder his insanity will tell him that he is doing the right thing.  He tried to pick a fight with her in the diner the other night,” Regina explained.

“He did what?!?” Red questioned with ire and her eyes flashed yellow.

“He failed.  Granny made sure of it.  Kicked him out and told him to grow up.  He is spiraling into some sort of insane realm in his mind and trying to figure out way to make it real.  He needs power like a drug.  He has none anymore.  He isn’t going to stop just because we ask nicely.  He would stop even if Belle surrenders to him.  He will still have to have someone to pay for her indiscretions.  Belle isn’t fallible, we are.  Plus, we are the easier target of his rage.”

“Do you think that we could steal the book back?” Red asked.

“I don’t know.”

“We could, but we would have to distract him.”

“The Abbey isn’t enough of a distraction?” Will asked.

“Not for him, it is just the means to justify his ending.  It is a step in the path for what he wants.  He brought magic back here after the curse broke because he remembered how to function with it and it was destroying his fragile psyche without it.  He said it was for love, and Belle, but anyone with half a brain could see that he was struggling,” Regina told them.

“Do you have any idea which spell he is trying to do?” Will asked.

“I have a pretty good idea,” Regina answered.

“Then tell me, so that I can stop him.”

“I wish that it was that easy,” Regina replied.

“Then make it that easy,” Red demanded.

“You don’t know what you are asking for, Wolf Pup.  You can’t possibly understand what we are trying do here to protect this town.  I can’t make you understand something that you have no knowledge of, Ruby.  You can’t expect me to make you understand that Rumple isn’t just starting a war; he is trying to erase everything.  The spell he is trying to cast is one to get him back to the Enchanted Forest.  He has a book that could erase everything.  He could create a portal to end it all.  He could go back and change everything.  The spells are in the book.”

“And, Coraline’s used them?” Will questioned, thinking out loud.

“Possibly.”

“Possibly!?!” Will mused, almost laughing.

“If she did, I don’t know which ones.”

“How can we find out?” Ruby asked.

“We need to talk to Belle and Coraline,” Will stated.

“NO.”

“NO?  Are you fucking kidding me, Regina?  Are you serious?”

“She doesn’t need to be part of this,” Regina stated.

“She is already part of this, Regina.  She was born into this.  She came back to stop it.  She came back here to make sure that she has the childhood that you and Emma want to give her.  She has information in her head that she doesn’t even know is helpful.  We can tap into that and stop him.  If we stop him, maybe we stop the Blackness.  Maybe, Rumple is the Blackness.  We don’t know that, sure, but what we do is that your daughter came from twenty-five years in the future to save you.  And, now, she can do that.  She can save us all.”

“No,” Regina told them and she left the room.

 

Coraline and Belle were in the basement.  Tink was with them.  She was just watching them prepare herbs and potions.  She was surprised that Belle found it easier to work when the danger loomed outside.  Coraline didn’t seem to let it get to her.  Tink knew the backstory, but watching her in action was something else.

Belle was constantly beside her, like an older sister would be, teaching and pointing.  Coraline didn’t say anything if she knew what she was doing.  She took the instruction like she had done it many times before.  There was a simplicity among them.  There was a familiarity that she had only seen with Emma and Regina, Ruby and Belle, Regina and Will.  It was a beautiful.

“What?” Coraline asked, looking over at her.

“Nothing.”

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Coraline asked Tink.

“I am just noting something.”

“And that would be?” Belle asked, looking up to meet her eyes.

“Just how quickly you fall together as sisters, family, when you are alone,” Tink stated.

“Why is that surprising to you?” Coraline asked.

“Because we aren’t really family,” Belle stated.

Coraline stopped.  Her hands fell to the table and she backed away.  The emotion invoked by Belle’s words tore through her like a knife through butter.  No, they weren’t family…at least not yet.  Coraline didn’t find comfort in that thought.  She looked up into Belle’s sky blue eyes and she saw the emotion of her own reflected.  Belle was still at war with herself about her feelings for the younger woman and she didn’t know how to reconcile them.  Did she love her like a sister?  Did she love her like a daughter?  She just didn’t know.

“I’m sorry,” Coraline whispered.

“For what?” Belle asked, turning towards her, sure that she had hurt her and trying to fix it.

“I caused all of this.”

“No, you didn’t, Coraline.  You didn’t cause any of it.  You came to warn us to a danger that we didn’t see.  Now, all I can do is see it and it hurts.  It hurts me on many levels, but mostly because I know that our inaction before had to cause your actions now,” Belle told her.

Mahogany eyes, like those of her mother, flickered over the smaller woman.  Brown met blue only seconds before Coraline rushed to her and Belle enveloped her in her arms.  She was willing comfort to seep through her body.  She knew that Coraline was fighting a losing battle with her mind, but neither of them knew if this mission was a losing one as well.

“Coraline, you can’t think that you are reason that all this happens,” Belle murmured against her head, still stroking it lovingly like a mother would.

Red and Will were standing just outside the room.  They had heard the exchange and now saw the women together.  It was in that moment that Red knew what Regina had said was right.  She was bound to Belle.  The sight of her standing there holding Regina’s daughter made her heart leap.  She couldn’t explain it, but she could see the two of them, together, raising her.

“She’ll be alright,” Will whispered to her.

“I know that.  I can see that now.  Coraline…I can understand why she’s been so close to Belle.”

“She still sees her as her mother.”

“Yes,” Red replied and leaned against a wall.

Belle and Coraline still hadn’t seen them.  They weren’t hiding from them, but they weren’t making themselves known either.  They didn’t want to disturb the interaction between them.  Things had been stressful for all of them, but somewhere in her mind, Red knew that Belle had turned to the safety of her books so she didn’t have to deal with the emotional side of her issues with Coraline.  Now that Rumple was forcing their hands, she couldn’t fight it anymore.  Red watched her and the emotions cross her face.  It didn’t matter that Coraline wasn’t really her sister and that she might become a substitute mother for her in a few years, Belle still loved her completely.  It was in that moment that Red knew why Regina picked them to protect her.

“You weren’t there,” she mused.

“What?” Will asked her.

“You weren’t there in the future.  In her future, in our future.  You couldn’t have been.  That is why Regina won’t release you.  I get it, now,” Red told her.

“Good, then can you explain it to me,” Will said, watching Red’s face watching Belle.

“Regina gives Remy, Coraline, to us to raise.  She would only do that if you weren’t there.  She knew that I would protect her with my Wolf.  That I was just as loyal to the family as you.  She chose Belle because Belle was the last bit of royalty in the kingdom.  She knew that Belle wouldn’t let her forget who she was but would teach her to strong, emotional, and royal at the same time.  Regina may not say it, but she admires her for the strength that she possesses.  If you were alive, if you were there, she would have strapped the young child to you and sent you away.  It would have been her final order.  She would have released you from your contract, given your Remy and sent you packing,” Red explained.

“But, she never got the chance,” Will stated.

“Or, you were never there,” Red added.

“Why?  Why wasn’t I there?  I am here now.”

“You said that your brother was killed and his line.”

“Yes, so what?”

“You are the last Vulcannonian?”

“As far as I know, yes.  The ones that did make it to this world on their own have remained hidden.  They will feel me coming if I am close.  They would make an appearance, swear fealty, and go back into hiding.  The last that I knew of was called the ‘Dragon,’ and he lived in Phuket.  But, I believe our good, young, and incredibly power hungry Pan killed him.”

“What is it about that family?” Red asked.

“What family?”

“Pan was Rumple’s father, who in turn was Neal’s or Baelfire’s father, who is Henry’s father.”

“But, Bae and Henry don’t seek power,” Will stated.

“No, they have been fighting against it since they were children.  They’ve seen the horrors that too much power can create.  Milah and Emma must have tempered their insatiable bloodlust for power.  Henry somehow tempers Regina, but now that Emma and Regina are together, Emma has taken on that role,” Red explained.

“And, for Rumple, it became Belle.  Without her, he is going insane.  He will stop at nothing to get her back, even if it isn’t something that she wants.”

“Exactly.”

“So who is really in danger here?  Us?  Belle?  Regina? Or Rumple?”

“Rumple,” Red said, anger filling her again.

“Easy now, Coz.  No need to Wolf out down here.  You’ll scare your love.”

“And, what about you earlier?”

“It wasn’t rational.  The anger in my Wolf, like yours, is always present, but my Vulcannonian sensibilities usually override it.  My need to protect Regina and the family keep it at bay just enough that I can unleash it if needed.  I have control until my control of the situation is tested.”

“Well, that should be fun with Regina,” Red mused.

“You have no idea,” Will replied with a smirk.

“Are you in love with her?”

“Who?”

“Regina,” Red said.

“Not in the way you think, Ruby.  I love her, yes, but not in a romantic fashion.  I can’t.  There has always been a pull towards her, but it wasn’t until I saw Coraline and learned that she was Regina’s daughter that it made sense.”

“You’re bound to her aren’t you?”

“Coraline?  Yes, but she doesn’t know.  She can’t know.  But the fact remains, I am.  And, as such, I really wonder what happens that causes me not to be there for her.”

Red watched the two women before them, the objects of their desire.  They were definitely the Yin to their Yang, just like Emma was for Regina.  Red knew that something drastically tragic had to have happened for Coraline not to known who Will was.

“Did Regina ever write about you in her journals?”

“I doubt it.  Why would she?  I was just another servant.”

“What would happen if she died?”

“The world would end?” Will replied sarcastically before asking, “What does it matter?  Why are you asking me that?”

“If Regina dies, what happens to you?”

“I go back to being Snow’s.”

“And, if Snow dies?” Red pushed.

“I would be Emma’s, then Henry’s, then Remy’s.  I would stay attached to the family until it was gone.  Then I would be alone.”

“You aren’t there.  Emma dies first, then Regina, Charming, and Henry.  Snow dies later.  Remy is sent off with me and Belle.  Would you know that she was still alive?” Red asked her.

“Yes.”

“You would search for her?”

“I would scour the realms for her until I found her.”

“Twenty-five years and not a single mention of you from her, Will, you aren’t there.”

“But, why?”

“That is going to be the question that will plague me, Cousin.  If Coraline brought you back because she was meant to do, then why didn’t she know who you were?  If her bringing you back to us changes things, what have they changed and why?  The one fact that hasn’t changed in all of this is the most complex and simple fear for us all.”

“What’s that?” Will asked her.

“The Blackness still comes.  They all die.  And, you are missing.  She grows up in a land dominated by the fear of some magical entity.  She comes back here to stop it, but for whatever reason, her travels through time don’t stop it.”

“Could I take her away?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because then her stories would contain an older version of herself.”

“How do you figure?” Will questioned.

“Because we both know that Regina isn’t going to let her out of her sight until she has to battle the Blackness, whatever it may be.  She is fighting to be the mother that she believes that Remy deserves based on what Coraline has told her.  They are both fighting to save their family.  They want the same thing: for Regina to be there.  That is why Regina hasn’t released you.  She can’t.”

“She needs to make sure that she and Remy are okay.”

“And the only way to do that, as much as it pains her to allow you to love her daughter, is to keep you under contract so you can’t full bind yourself to Coraline.  Your binding to her already means that you will be with her no matter the circumstance.  You will be at her side in whatever capability she has need of, mother, sister, lover, protector.  It won’t matter, because Coraline will still love you.  As long as Regina keeps the contract intact, you will defend them both.”

Will’s head hit the wall, stunning them all.  Belle looked over to where they were sitting.  She gave Red a look and Will just smiled at them.

“Young Pup love,” she stated only loud enough for Red to hear.

“Hush.”

“She loves you, you know?”

“She is still married to the Imp.”

“Not for long.”

“How can you tell?”

“She had Regina draw up papers for divorce days ago.”

“What?  When?  Why didn’t she tell me?”

“We’ve been a little busy, remember?  Rumple is trying to start an apocalypse.  Didn’t really think that the trivialities of a piece of paper signed by the mayor would matter much in terms of life and death, you know?  I am sure that she has her reasons.  She still loves him in her own way and Regina knows that.  It is one of the reasons that she hasn’t pushed Belle more on it.”

“And, the other?” Red asked.

“You, you twit,” Will stated, getting up from the floor by the wall and walking towards Belle and Coraline, leaving Red to think about what she’d said.

“Hey,” Belle greeted them.

“Hey,” Will replied.

“Any word?”

“No.”

“Did something happen?” Coraline asked, her questioning eyes meeting Will’s blue.

“In a manner of speaking, yes, it did.  But, no, I can’t tell you.  It…it really isn’t that important.”

“Why are you lying?” Coraline asked her.

“I am not lying,” Will replied.

“You aren’t tell me the entire truth.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“I am not a child, Will.  You of all people should know that.  What happened?”

“Nothing happened.”

“Then what aren’t you telling me?” Coraline demanded.

“Regina forbid her from asking you about the portals,” Red told her.

“What?  Why?  Wouldn’t that be useful information, right about now?”

“It would, but your mother is trying to protect you.  She doesn’t fully understand the portals, yet.  I think that she is afraid that if you tell her, you’ll disappear.  She can’t lose you right now, Coraline.  She loves you too much to watch you suffer.”

“She is trying to sacrifice herself, again, isn’t she?”

“Is she Regina?” Red quipped.

“Take me to her.”

“Coraline…” Belle started.

“No.  No!  NO!  She is not doing this to me again.  If she dies, I die.  Does she not see that?”

 

Emma watched as Regina, still in the figure of Tink, paced.  She would wear a hole in the rug soon if Emma didn’t stop her, but she didn’t know how.  It was like Regina was on some sort of deranged autopilot and the only to stop it was for her to kill something or be killed.

“If you’re going to be in here with me, can you at least drop the face?” Emma asked her.

“Sorry,” Regina told her changing back into herself.

“What’s wrong, Regina?”

“I talked with Red and Will.”

“And?” Emma probed.

“We may have to talk to Coraline about the portal she used to get here.”

“You don’t want to do that?” Emma asked, moving closer to her.

She took Regina’s hand and held it.  She stared into her deep brown eyes trying to reassure her with her own green eyes.  She could see the stress lessening, but knew that Regina was far from being relaxed.  Emma pulled her into her body and held her, hoping that her warmth would help.

“She’s been through enough, Emma.  She doesn’t need this.  She doesn’t need this war.”

“No, she doesn’t.  None of us do, but it is here now and we have to fight.  She is proof that we have to fight.  We have to protect our future.  She is our future.  Regardless of what we want and what we know, she knows more about what happens,” Emma told her.

“I know that.”

“Then, we’ll ask her.”

“Emma…”

“No, Regina, we need to know.  We need to understand what happened the day she came back.  I know that she hasn’t told me.  Has she told you?”

“No.”

“We need to know.  We can’t help her if we don’t know.  We’ll ask her.  Just you and me.  I won’t have anyone else there.  Then, once she is done telling us what happened, we’ll decide together as a family what to do about it.  We owe her that much, Regina.  We leave her in the future only for her to come back to save us.  We have to do something.”

“I know.”

“I know that what she tells us might not be something that we want to hear, but we need to do it.  We haven’t pressed her before now.  We no longer have the luxury of waiting.  Rumple is moving faster to some unknown.  If he succeeds with his portal, what are we going to do?  Are we going to be sucked into the Enchanted Forest?  Are we going to fight to close it?”

“I don’t know.”

“I know one thing,” Emma stated.

“Yes, Dear, what’s that?”

“I know I am not ready to not have indoor plumbing,” Emma replied with a smirk on her face.

Regina backed up enough to look into her eyes again.  She saw the mirth there.  She knew that Emma would always find something positive in everything.  It was another reason that she loved her.  She laughed for a second, letting the levity flow over her.  She needed this.  She knew they all did.  She smiled at Emma and took her hand.

“After having it all these years, I am not sure that I am either,” Regina added.

Emma laughed.  She raised her hand to her lips and kissed Regina’s knuckles.  She watched Regina’s smile get bigger.  They had each other.  They would fight to keep it that way.

“You know that I am right though, right?” Emma asked.

“You are.  I wish I could spare her this pain.  I have a feeling I know what she is going to tell us and it isn’t going to be good.”

“Is anything from our future good besides her?” Emma asked.

“I really hope that isn’t the only thing.”

Regina took her hand.  They needed to go get Coraline and get her to tell them everything that she knew.  Emma knew that it was going to be a hard conversation for them all.  She was just glad that Rumple had yet to show.  She wasn’t worried about Rumple really.  She was more worried about the mental health of her growing family.

As they entered the lower levels to find Coraline, they could hear Red and Will arguing.  Then she heard the blood curdling scream that no mother every wanted to hear.  Then they both hear Belle and Red as they try to stop Coraline from leaving.

The doors thrust open and Regina can see the purple in Coraline’s eyes.  She stops short when she sees both of her mothers there in front of her.  Emma cocks her head and sees the violet in her eyes.  She reaches out for her like she would Regina and immediately Coraline’s eyes flash green before returning to their natural brown.

“Moms?” Coraline asked.

“Hey there, kiddo,” Emma stated waving her hand with the expression.

“Coraline, we need to talk.”

“Yes, we do.”

“Uh, Regina…” Red started.

“Not now, Wolf Pup.  I need to talk to my daughter.  You need to go stay with Blue.  Belle, I would stay here.  We still don’t know what Rumple is up to at the moment, but I believe that he will still come here.  He needs ingredients and he knows that the fairies have been stock piling.  The entire town knows.  We do need to make preparations,” Regina explained.

“We do,” Will added.

“Will, can you handle that?”

“I will, Majesty,” she replied.

“We’ll go take an inventory of…stuff.  You can stay here and talk.  We’ll go," Belled told them, grabbing Red and Will’s hands and leading them away.

Regina and Emma watched them go.  Coraline walked back into the room and waited for her mothers to come inside, too.  She sat down at the table and stared at them.  She ran a hand through her hair and looked up at Emma, her brown eyes meeting her mother’s green.

“Coraline…”

“Just ask,” she demanded.

“Ask what?” Emma questioned.

“You came down here to talk to me.  You came to ask me something about the future.  It doesn’t take a castle builder to figure that out.  You want to know something and you don’t want too many people to know what it is.  Thus, you want to know something about the future.”

“Sort of,” Regina replied.

“Well, what is it?” Coraline asked.

“I need to know what happened the day you came back.”

“What do you mean?” Coraline questioned.

“I need you to tell me exactly, everything that you remember from the day you enacted the portal to come here,” Regina replied.

“You need to know what portal I used?”

“Yes,” Emma said.

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean that you don’t know?”

“Exactly what I said.”

“Coraline, we need to know everything that you do about that portal,” Regina urged.

“I can’t tell you what I don’t know.”

“You cast a spell without knowing what it was?” Regina asked, astonished that she’d survived.

“Okay, let’s try this another way.  Coraline, can you tell us what was happening when you cast the spell?  Maybe that will help us narrow it down,” Emma stated.

“No.”

“No?”

“I won’t tell you that.”

“Coraline…” Emma started.

Regina looked at her daughter.  She saw the resolve in her eyes.  She saw the pain, too.  There was something horrific about that day.  She knew that Coraline was hiding something from her and she knew that she could push Coraline into telling her.  She didn’t want to do it, but she would if they couldn’t convince her to tell them. 

“What are you willing to tell me about it then?” Regina asked her changing tactics once again.

“I don’t want to talk about that day,” she replied with much conviction as she stared Regina down, only cementing further Regina’s thoughts.

“That’s fine, Darling.  Just tell me everything and anything that you are willing to tell us.  I will do my best not to ask you about that day,” Regina agreed.

Emma looked at her dumbfounded.  Their twenty-five year old daughter had done something that no one had done with Regina in a very long time: she won the argument and got Regina to back down.  Her green eyes flicked from one set of brown to the other.  Lost in her own thoughts, she sat down on a stool exasperated at the scene before her.  She honestly didn’t know what to do.

“The tattoos on my arms,” Coraline started.  “They were given to me by the royal tattooist.  I think I was barely three or four.  It was a whole big deal.  Belle and Red were a little apprehensive about it, but you assured them that it wouldn’t affect me at all.  Once the ink had set for the recommended time, you used a spell to heal me.  It kept the ink fresh.  It wouldn’t fade and it grew with me as I grew up.”

“Wouldn’t that have marked you as our daughter?” Emma asked, suddenly back in the room and following along with the conversation she was sure was going to go magically over her head.

“You would think so, yeah, but it didn’t.”

“Why not?” Regina asked.

“Something in the ink, I think.  I am not sure.  It wasn’t until I was older that I realized what they were.  The crazy thing about them is that I can make them disappear.”

“What?  How?  I mean…well, how?” Emma questioned.

“I never thought about them.  If I didn’t think about them, they weren’t there.  After you both died, I stopped learning magic for a while.  Aunt Belle and Aunt Red didn’t think it was a good idea.  They thought it would mark me for the Blackness to find me.  It wasn’t until I was older that Red even taught me how to fight, and that was only after she caught me on my own.”

“Okay, that makes sense.  Can you show them to me now?  Can you make them appear?”

“I don’t want to,” Coraline stated truthfully.

“I don’t want you to cast the spell.  I just want to see the design.  If I can see the design it might help me figure out what Rumple is really up to,” Regina told her.

“You really think that Rumple causes the Blackness?” Coraline asked her.

“It seems the most logically solution to the problem.  He is the only one that I know that can create such darkness.  I don’t know how he does it, but if he is willing to play with portals, there is no telling how far he is willing to go.  He has access to Ramgad Antaf’s books.  That alone worries me, Coraline.  It frightens me.”

“Why?”

“Ramgad Antaf was a very powerful sorcerer.  He copied all his spells into to tomes that he wrote himself with his own blood.  He did that as a precaution,” Regina explained.

“So no one else could absorb his magic,” Coraline replied.

“Exactly.  Now, we know that Rumple has his book on portals.  What we don’t know is what he is trying to do with them.  Whatever it is, he needs the magic at the well to do it.  That well is the birthplace of magic in this town.  Its waters have very powerful magic.  If he is willing to sacrifice the well, I am extremely worried at what he want to accomplish…”

“He is trying to go back,” Coraline stated.

“Go back where?” Emma asked her.

“He is trying to go back to the Enchanted Forest.  He needs items that he can’t procure here.  The book of portals has no time travel in it.  It is strictly portals, but you are right that they are written in blood.  You made me study them.  They were my first magic textbooks.  I was reading out them before Emma taught me to read anything else.  I was speaking the language of the Fae before I could even read.  My magic abilities showed themselves young.  You knew that you would have to temper them and quickly.  Belle continued that teaching.”

“But, you don’t do magic with ease.”

“I don’t.  I was held back for a few years after your deaths.  Something happened that day that neither Belle or Red will tell me, no matter how many times I ask.  They just shake their heads when I ask them about the blinding light.  They act like they don’t remember, but they do.”

“How do you know?” Emma asked her.

“I can see it in their eyes,” Coraline told them.


	30. Chapter 30

Rumple tramped to through the woods.  He was tired and dirty.  He wasn’t ready to give up and he knew that the fairies would have what he needed.  He wouldn’t ask.  He would take.  They had to have the Dragon’s Blood.  They would know where to find some if they didn’t.  He was tired and he wasn’t going to play this time.  No, this time he was going to take everything that he wanted. He didn’t care what it cost him.

He felt the ripples of magic around him, but he didn’t care.  Nothing would stop him from his mission.  He had to find his way back.  He would get his happy ending.

He continued to stomp through the forest.  He was nearing the abbey and he knew it.  He could feel the fairies magic getting stronger and stronger.  He didn’t stop.  He couldn’t.

Finally, something made him stop.  He hit the barrier that Emma and Regina had erected.  He couldn’t let it stop him.  He got up from the dirty forest floor.  He ran his hands over the barrier and laughed.  His fingers tingled but it didn’t stop his resolve to get inside.

“Really, Regina…” he said touching the barrier again.

He ran his fingers over the spell.  He tried to punch through the barrier.  A shock ran up his arm, but it still didn’t dissuade him.  He took a step back and glided his fingers over the barrier, again.

“Smart girl…I’ve taught you well, but not well enough,” he stated.

He took another step back and raised his hand.  He conjured a fireball, dark and foreboding.  It wasn’t red.  No, it was black as night and its center was green.  His eyes flashed and he let it loose on the barrier.  It sizzled and faded.

“Well, that was interesting,” he told himself.

He looked around and found a small branch.  He threw it at the barrier and watched as it passed right through with no trouble.  He smiled.

“You’re just trying to keep me out.  That won’t stop me.  I’ll find another way in.  I always do, Dearie.  You won’t be able to hide behind that spell forever.  I’ll get what I want.  I can be patient when I need to be.”

He thought about the town.  No one had seen the band of heroes in a day or so.  He knew that this meant they were all hold up in the abbey waiting on him.  But, they forgot to tell Snow and Charming where they were.  Or, did they?  He would “barrow” Charming and find his way in.  After all, Charming was very protective of his family.

 

_“You should tell her, Belle,” Red told her pacing in their bedroom._

_“Tell her what?”_

_“Tell her the truth.  She deserves to know that she has magic.  She could possibly more powerful than Emma and Regina combined.  She is their daughter.  It is her destiny.”_

_“We don’t know what her destiny is,” Belle replied._

_“She is to be queen.”_

_“How can she be queen when she doesn’t have a kingdom?”_

_“We get it back for her,” Red answered simply._

_“How?  By dying?  We’ve tried.  There is no recourse.  The Black Queen scours the forest for her.  If she find Remy, who knows what she’ll do to her.  We can’t lose her, Red.  I won’t let it happen,” Belle told her._

_“I don’t want to lose her either, Belle, but she is an adult.  We can’t keep her here forever.  She’ll eventually susses out why she is wearing that cuff.  It only dampens her power.  That right there should be enough for you, Belle.  What else do you need to tell her?” Red asked._

_“The cuff should completely block it, but it doesn’t.  That frightens me, Red.  Doesn’t it frighten you?  She destroyed a host of the Blackness as it almost overtook us in the caverns.  Have you forgotten the day we fled to get here?  I haven’t.  She has power.  Too much.”_

_“She scares you?”_

_“The more important question is why doesn’t she scare you?” Belle asked her._

_“Because we’ve raised her.  I know what she is capable of and so does she.  We’ve taught her to be strong.  We’ve given her home. We’ve protected her from the dangers that we could.  We can’t keep her here forever, Belle.  She has a right to know.  And, I think that we’ve kept it from her long enough, Belle.  She is a fighter and a protector like Emma.  She is also a romantic and a sorceress like Regina.  If we try to stifle that, what good are we doing?  We promised Regina that we would care for her.  How is this protecting her, Belle?  Tell me how?” Red demanded._

_Belled looked down at the table she was sitting at and then up at Red.  She could see the old familiar fire in Red’s eyes.  She knew that this day would come.  She knew that they would fight about it.  There was no way around it.  Red was a fighter.  Belle was passive._

_“I can’t let her go.”_

_“No one is telling you to let her go, Belle.”_

_“She’ll leave when she knows the truth.”_

_“She’ll leave if we don’t tell her,” Red tried to reason._

_“She’s our daughter now, Red.  We have to protect her from the Blackness.  How can we do that if we unleash her magic?” Belle asked._

_“How can we stifle something that is a part of her?”_

_Belle turned up gaze upwards to her.  Her blue eyes were full of tears.  But, there was something more in them as Red’s hazel eyes met hers.  There was something that Red had only seen once before…a very long time ago in another world._

_“You’re afraid that she’ll go dark?” Red asked taking a step back from her._

_“Yes…” Belle whispered._

_Red didn’t remember sitting down until her back hit the wooden chair.  It all suddenly made perfect sense.  Belle had all but allowed magic in the castle.  She had quickly diminished those that she would allow around Remy as her magic became more apparent to those around them.  The cuff hadn’t been a safe guard; it was a solution._

_“You’re afraid of her?  You think that she’ll willing go off and join the Blackness, don’t you?  You think that she will be corrupted by magic?”_

_“Regina was.”_

_“But, Henry and Emma brought her back.  Hell, Remy is proof of that.  She fought that darkness and found her true love, her happy ending and the light she so desperately deserved.  She got all of the because of Emma.  Emma’s light side is in her, too, Belle.”_

_“I know that.”_

_“Then why?”_

_“Because that wasn’t enough for Rumple…”_

_And, there it was.  The catalyst for her fears.  She was worried that Remy would seek out revenge for what happened to her family, that her quest to save them would corrupt her magic into something dark and unholy._

_Red stood up.  She walked over the fireplace in the lavish room that they shared.  It was too much for the wolf.  It was too much for her to bear or hear.  She turned to Belle and even from across the room she could see the tears in her ocean blue eyes.  It broke Red’s heart, but there was nothing she could do.  Rumple had seen to that.  Once again he was destroying them, even though he had been dead for over fifteen years._

_“He caused this…” Belle tried to start._

_“And, Regina and Emma finished it with her.  She is to be our salvation.  She is the Survivor.  She is the Princess.  She is a Swan.  And, to think over wise… is… is…” Red started before her anger made her begin to stutter._

_She picked up a horn cup and threw it into the fireplace.  The shatter of the horn on the rock face was only over shadowed by the quick flame that the alcohol inside the cup caused.  The flare of the fire matched the flare in Red’s eyes._

_“I’ll never be good enough for you, will I?” Red asked the fireplace, not willing to see the answer in Belle’s eyes._

_“Red, I…”_

_“Don’t.   Just don’t.  She’s fifteen.  She deserves the truth.  If you don’t give it to her, I will…when I get back.  I can’t be here right now.  I just can’t…” Red stated before she fled the room, her eyes flashing yellow._

_Belle caught the flash and started crying.  She’d done this.  She’d caused this.  She was the one that pushed Red away.  And, now, she was going to lose Remy when Red got back.  She knew it.  There was nothing she could do.  She’d let her fear guide her to this place and now, she was watching her world crumble around her again._

_She pushed the book she’d been reading away from her.  It slid across the wood table and pages flipped as it went.  She grabbed her cup and threw it at the wall just to punctuate her frustration.  As she turned back to the table, she saw the book, open, pages waving in the castle draft, mocking her with its contents and knowledge._

_She grabbed the small tome and pulled it back to her.  She stared at the page in wonder.  It couldn’t be.  This couldn’t be the spell that Regina had been working on.  No, this was a spell that Rumple had tried and failed at many times.  Each time was more disastrous than the last._

_“What was it about this spell that you couldn’t do, Rumple?” she asked the book as she studied the words on the page harder._

_And, then it hit her.  Reading the words, she finally understood why he failed like so many others in his quest to use this spell.  He was meant to fail._

_“Only someone split in two can cause the portal to open…” she read._

_She skimmed the rest of the build up and went right for the meat of the spell.  She couldn’t cast it, but she knew that Remy could.  Remy was the broken soul that the spell needed, but it would come with a cost…a cost that Belle wasn’t sure that she could pay._

_“The soul that is bound by two, must make the choice.  Live in darkness or die in love, for such is the fate for wielding the power of time.  The trip is one way and permanent.  The outcome infinite.  One the decision has been made, time will tell the truth of the soul bound by two.”_

_Belle knew what she must do and it pained her greatly.  She knew that she would have to help Red prepare her for war.  A war that they had promised Regina to spare her from.  They couldn’t hide her destiny anymore.  No, they would have to teach Coraline that she was Remy Mills Swan and that she was the heir to the throne, princess to the Realm, and Queen to a people she lived with as a common refugee.  They would have to make Coraline a leader._

_There was a slight knock on the door and before she realized she’d said anything, Coraline was beside her.  She looked into those dark brown eyes, so much like her mother’s and wanted to weep.  Coraline was about to become the princess she was meant to be, not the princess that Belle had hoped for in their hiding._

_“Coraline, sit down here, next to me,” she bade her._

_Coraline sat down in the old wood chair beside her.  Her brow was furrowed in question as Belle reached over and took her hand.  She slowly pushed up the old muslin sleeve of Coraline’s shirt and looked down at the black leather cuff.  Slowly and methodically, Belle’s other hand crossed the expanse between them until she was touching the cuff._

_“Aunt Belle?”_

_“Coraline, there is much that we haven’t told you…” she started as her finger secured themselves around the back of the cuff._

_“Aunt Belle, what is it?” Coraline asked as she felt her delicate fingers brush the underside of her wrist._

_“You are the daughter of Queen Regina and Queen Emma,” Belle explained._

_“I know that,” Coraline replied._

_“But, you are their only living heir.”_

_“Okay…”_

_“You are both a fighter and sorceress,” Belle told her, firming her grip on the cuff._

_“Belle, we both know I can’t do magic.  You’ve been teaching me for years.  I can’t even light a candle.  What are you babbling about?”_

_“You can’t, because we have hindered that side of you,” Belle replied._

_Coraline gave her a confused look, but she saw the tears and the truth in Belle’s eyes.  She looked at her hand and the cuff.  Then, she realized what Belle was about to do.  She was about to unleash a power into the world no one, not even Belle, understood._

_Coraline had heard the whispers behind her back.  She had seen the looks and stares from the older people in the castle and town when she went out alone.  They were afraid of her.  She could sense it in Belle, too._

_“Don’t…”_

_Belle’s head shot up.  Her cerulean gaze met the mahogany of the young teenager.  There was a war between them, but no words were said._

_“Don’t do it if you are afraid of me,” Coraline told her._

_Belle’s heart sank.  She was the closest thing to a daughter that she had ever had.  She was the most powerful being she’d ever known.  If there was to be a “Light One,” then Coraline would be it.  Her whole body trembled in emotion, but she didn’t release the cuff._

_“I have to,” Belle told her, sliding her finger tips under the edge._

_Their eyes were locked.  The line had been drawn and Belle was going to step over it.  She had to free her from all bindings so that she could save the day.  It was what she was meant to do.  She was meant to save them all and restore the throne of the Enchanted Forest back to the House of Swan.  She was this generation’s savior.  She was the Survivor.  No matter what life had thrown at her, she always came out on top._

_Belle laughed at the thought.  She truly was Emma’s daughter.  Regina would have been proud._

_“I can’t hide who you are.  I can’t fight fate.  We’ve kept you here, hidden because we were afraid.  Not of the Blackness, but of you and I can’t do that anymore,” Belle told her._

_Her fingers worked their way under the cuff some more.  The door to the room opened with a bang and a furious Red tore inside.  Yellow still flashing her eyes, she stalked across the room towards Belle.  It wasn’t until she was nigh on Belle that Coraline moved._

_It all happened so fast that Belle couldn’t see it.  Coraline was in front of her, standing between Red and herself, sword drawn.  The rage in her eyes only matched the rage in Red’s.  Yellow met a strange, swirling mix of green and purple._

_Red’s yellow eyes darted from Coraline’s face to her wrist and from her wrist to Belle’s hand.  In it she saw the black cuff.  She slowly tore her eyes from Belle’s hand and back to Coraline’s eyes.  She watched the storm brewing, circling, growing.  Red took a step back and blinked.  She felt all her rage leave her as she quelled the beast inside.  When she opened her eyes to look inside Coraline’s again, she knew that the yellow was gone.  Red was buried inside and Ruby was standing before them._

_“Ruby?” Belle asked._

_“Yes?” she replied, still not looking at her._

_Belle’s hand shot out to Coraline’s arm.  The simple warmth of her fingers upon her flesh caused Coraline to falter.  She took a step backwards and into the table, blinking several times until the room stopped spinning and wasn’t blurry anymore._

_“What the Hell just happened?” she asked them, staring from hazel to blue and back again._

_“I’ve unleashed your magic,” Belle told her._

“What do you mean you’ve seen it in their eyes?” Regina asked her.

“It was the same look they were both giving me the day that they released me.”

“What do you mean they released you?  Coraline?  What does that mean?” Emma asked.

“The cuff…”

It was all she needed to say.  Regina got it.  She might have even understood it, but that didn’t change the fact that it was her daughter.  She had been stifled, held back, imprisoned in a way that someone without magic would never understand.

“Why?” Regina asked breathily.

“I don’t know.  They wouldn’t tell me the truth.  All I ever got was it was for my own good.  I was your daughter and if too many people found out, I might be turned over to the Blackness.  They couldn’t let that happen.”

“So they cuffed you?” Emma asked.

“They blocked my magic,” Coraline stated.

“They cuffed you,” Regina said punctuating her statement.

“Why?”

“Is it obvious, Emma?  They were afraid of her.  She is more powerful than me.  She is definitely more refined in the ways of magic than you.  She would be a force to be reckoned with.  They cuffed you for their protection as well as your own.”

“How can you say that?”

“Because it would be something that I would have done, if I didn’t have magic,” Regina said.

“Why?” Emma asked, trying to hide her anger.

“Because I wouldn’t be able to teach her how to control it properly,” Regina added.  “I am not saying that excuses it.  Far from it. I am just saying that I understand why the Bookworm did it.”

“Ruby didn’t help her?” Emma questioned.

“No, she would have looked for other avenues, like her cloak.”

“That still doesn’t tell us what happened that day,” Emma stated.

“No, but I know something that might help us.”

“What?” Coraline asked.

“This,” Regina told them as she held out her hand.

The dream catcher from New York, the same one that had hung in Neal’s window, appeared in her hand.  She studied it for a few seconds before she heard the collective sighs of Emma and Coraline.  She felt Emma get closer to her.  She saw her hand moving towards the dream catcher before Emma realized was she was doing or that she was talking.

“What are you going to do?  Try to pull the future from Belle and Ruby?  I don’t think that it works that way.  What is that thing going to do for us?” Emma questioned.

“It is going to show us Coraline’s past,” Regina explained.

Emma’s eyes went wide.  Why hadn’t they thought of this before, she wondered.  Then she looked at Coraline expectantly.  She had no idea what Regina was about to do and suddenly she was frightened of finding out the truth.  What day would Regina pull?  Would they see their own deaths through their daughter’s eyes?

“Regina, wait!” Emma shouted and grabbed her hand before the dream catcher could touch Coraline’s head, much less pull her memories.

“Emma, why did you stop me?”

“Remember the Butterfly Effect?”

“Now, you want to talk about movies?” Regina quipped.

“Yes, because this would be the perfect time to do it.”

“We don’t have time anymore, remember?” Regina hissed.

“Then we make time.  Coraline, go sit over there…in that chair for a minute, will ya?  Thanks, Kiddo.  We have to be rational about this.”

“Oh, yes, we do, because Rumple is being so rational right now.”

Regina just gave her a look.  They didn’t have time for the pettiness and sarcasm.  They needed to know what Coraline knew.  They needed to know about the portal that she had created, because somehow Regina knew that it was the answer to all of their questions.  Coraline was the key, but they still didn’t know anything about the lock.

“Um…Moms, what is that going to do?” she asked them, the fear evident in her voice.

“It isn’t going to hurt you, Coraline.  Like the legends in this realm, the dream catcher holds onto the bad dreams and lets the good dreams through its webbing.  But unlike this realm, a dream catcher can be used to look at memories, no matter how deeply buried and repressed.”

“You want to use that on me?” she asked them.

This time it wasn’t fear in her voice but Regina couldn’t quite put a name to it.  It wasn’t shame because she had nothing to be ashamed of doing.  It wasn’t love, because she was obviously hiding more than she was letting on.  It was darker, more feral, more carnal in nature.  There was the obviousness of fear but it was laced with something that Regina knew all too well: regret. 

In that moment, she studied her daughter.  The vein in her forehead popped out as she sat down in a chair that just appeared beneath her.  Regina’s eyes swirled with a thousand emotions as she looked into her daughter’s matching brown.  There was a complete conversation between them in seconds, non-verbalized and non-magical. 

Emma watched them.  There was nothing else to do.  She didn’t know what else to say.

“I don’t want to use it on you, Coraline.  I need to use on you.  This can help us see what happened.  It can help us pull memories for you that you don’t know you have.”

“What if they are true?” Coraline wondered aloud.

“Nothing this shows can be false.  It can only show us what you’ve seen and what you know.  It will play your memories like a movie.  Everything will be from your perspective.  It will be your truth and no one else’s.  It cannot show a lie because it has no consciousness to do so,” Regina told her.

“Not making this any easier,” Coraline replied.

“I would should you my memories of you but they would all be of you as an adult,” Regina said.

“I know.”

“What can I do to make you understand?  What can I show you to make you believe me?  What do you need from me?” Regina asked her.

“Show me something that you haven’t shared with anyone else,” Coraline stated.

It was a dare and a test.  She knew that Coraline had read her diaries and journals, but she wondered if she knew the magnitude of what she asked.  There were so many things that Regina could show her, but she knew the one memory that Coraline would know, possibly, that no one else would.  It was a test and one that she would have to pass in order to fully gain her own daughter’s trust. 

She dug deep into the recesses of her mind and found the one memory that she’d never shared with anyone.  Her eyes were dark and fiery with emotion as she ran the dream catcher over her own head.  She placed it out in front of herself and held her breath.  Coraline reached out and covered her hands with her own.  Their eyes met and they willed the memory to appear.

The dream catcher swirled.  The magic was working and Coraline could feel it.  She had an idea which memory Regina would pull.  It wasn’t so much a test but a confirmation.  She needed to know because she knew how to fix it.  Coraline was so many things to Regina.  She was more than just a happy ending and proof that she’s found her True Love.  Coraline was her daughter.

_“Are you happy now, Mother?” Regina asked setting the now empty cup on the table._

_“You are such a foolish girl.  You always have been and you always will be.  I was wrong.  At least I can admit that.  But, you…you will never learn from your own mistakes or mine.”_

_“You see that is where you are wrong, Mother.  I have learned from your mistakes.  I am your mistake.  And, that is a mistake that I will never make.  I will never have a child.  I will not let your legacy continue.  Your hatred…your line ends with me.  There will be no one else for you to corrupt.  Your power dies with me,” Regina practically spat at her._

_“You wound me, Regina.  Everything that I have done has been for you.  I made you queen.  I gave you a child to raise.  You could have been happy.  You could have had many children to feel whatever void is in your sickened heart of love.  But, you’ve thrown it all away.  For what?  A stable boy who is dead?  You’ve cursed yourself, Regina.  You’ve done this all to yourself.”_

_“Go back to Wonderland, Mother.  You’re not wanted here.  Remember: Love is weakness.  And, you, Mother, will always be part of my weakness.  I am the Queen now.  I cannot be weak.  Good-bye, Mother,” Regina told her walking away._

Coraline stared over the dream catcher at her mother.  The tears were in both of their eyes.  She’d read about that day, but she never imagined that she would feel the venom coming from her mother or see it aimed at her namesake.  She shuttered and shook her head trying to clear the thoughts from her head.  She knew that the power of the dream catcher was real, but she wondered what Regina would pull from her own head.

“Mom, I …”

“Don’t worry about it, Darling.”

“You cursed yourself?” Emma asked as she walked back across the room to join them.

She’d been next to the concrete block wall as they shared their moment.  She didn’t want to see the memory, but she heard it.  She knew that Regina had been in pain, mostly self-inflicted pain after the King’s death in the Enchanted Forest, but to have that confirmed….  Emma didn’t know what to think.

“It was a long time ago,” Regina stated trying to end the conversation.

“Then how does?  Where did?  How can we have a daughter?” Emma asked, clearly not letting it go until she had some answers of her own.

“Magic.”

Simple yet profound, it left Emma dumbstruck.  She was the product of True Love magic and she still couldn’t fathom that she’d created life with Regina.  The proof was in front of her.  There was no denying her own daughter, but now, she wondered even more how she was conceived.  Did they conjure her?  Did Emma carry her instead?  What didn’t she know?

“You’re thinking about this too hard, Ma,” Coraline told her as their eyes met.

“How can I be thinking about this too hard?”

“Because you are thinking about things in the confines of this world.  There is no rationality when it comes to magic and love.  You should know this.  Look at your parents.  Look at you and Mom.  Nothing is rational in the way you are both devoted to each other.  You both die trying to save a realm and me.  How is that rational?  You promised to always be there for each other no matter the price or the consequence.  How is that rational?  You give your child to your best friends and send her away so that she may live where you will not.  How is that rational?”

“It’s love,” Emma stated.

“Exactly.  Love knows no bounds in any realm.  That is why it is the strongest magic of all.  It can heal the sick, mend the broken, and repair voids created in anger.  It is passion and fury.  It is light and dark.  It is the most powerful thing that a human can endure.  It will lift you up and it will destroy you.  It will give you the greatest joy and it will cut you the deepest.  Its burn is something you learn to crave and fear at the same time,” Coraline started. “Love…True love…”

“Is the most powerful magic of all…it creates happiness,” Regina finished.

“Yes…” Coraline replied.

Emma looked at them both.  She saw the connections and the parallels.  They were the same but they were mother and daughter.  Broken by love and healed by it, they had endured things that would make most mortals weep and they laughed at it.  Their strength wasn’t born out of their endurance for pain.  It was born out of the love they had for each other and their extremely fucked up family tree.  Love had proven to be their battle cry and Emma was going to make sure that it was as loud as ever.  She would shout it from every rooftop, every castle, until the world knew that Love had conquered the Blackness and won!

“Love is strength,” Emma added.

“What?” Coraline asked.

“I told your grandmother that when she tried to take my heart and kill me.  I told her that love was strength.  She tried to make me see that my love for my mother was weakness, but it wasn’t.  It was a strength that had been growing inside of me since I was conceived.  It was the basis of my magic.  It was my magic.  Regina used pain in the beginning because emotion is the strongest thing that we know and it fuels your magic.  I used love.”

“I do, too,” Coraline whispered.

“Love is our magic, Coraline.  We will use it to defeat the Blackness.  We will use it to have you.  Love can break any curse, no matter how powerful.  You have to believe that,” Emma said.

“Why?”

“Because you are proof of that, my Darling.  You are the proof that love will overcome anything.  You are my happiness, my love, my daughter.  You are something that I sought out to never have.  A child form a barren womb, your life is proof that Love is magic.  You are magic.”

“And, Ma?”

“Just like me,” Emma told her.

She gathered her daughter in her arms and hugged her.  She knew that Coraline didn’t understand what love would make them do in the future, nor did they understand what they would do with their love.  In creating a child, the manifestation of their love for one another, Emma and Regina had broken one curse only to fight another.  And in their fear, their love for their daughter caused them to make the ultimate sacrifice. 

Coraline still hadn’t experienced a love like that.  She’d been sheltered and protected, hidden and isolated.  She was learning though and she was learning fast.  Seeing Emma and Regina, her mothers, her true teachers, she was finally beginning to understand what happened that day when she was five.  She could see it in their eyes.  She could feel it in their words.  She was learning what love really was.  It was no longer an abstract feeling.  It was concrete and finite.  And, she now yearned for it more than she thought possible.

“Will…” she whispered.

“You can go to her later,” Regina told her, realizing what was on her daughter’s heart.

Emma watched as her daughter’s eyes lit up at the prospect of seeing Will later.  Right now, they had work to do.  They couldn’t fight Rumple without more knowledge.  Unfortunately, Coraline had the knowledge they needed locked in her mind.

“We need to do this now.  Here, because here we can fight, here we can find answers to the questions that we don’t know to ask, and here we can prepare for the coming darkness that threatens our peace and way of life.  We do this now and we know what we are fighting.”

“Okay, Mom.  I trust you.  Just do it,” Coraline told her, taking her hand and looking dead into her mahogany eyes with her own.

Regina looked from Coraline to Emma and back.  She could see the worry in both of their eyes, but it was a necessity that she needed to do.  She knew that they understood why she was doing.  She knew that they understood it all, but she also knew that wasn’t going to make this any easier.

“Sit down for me, will you?” Regina asked her.

Emma brought her a chair.  She sat in it directly in front of Regina.  Emma grabbed two more chairs.  She gave one to Regina and saved the other for herself, sitting to their sides.  She watched as Regina sat down gingerly in the chair before their daughter.  The breath that she was holding released as she found the seat and Emma saw it. 

She saw the fear of what they would see creep into her eyes.  She saw the pain of watching her daughter’s nightmare become a reality.  She knew the pain that they were about to witness was going to be dark and to the core, but they had to endure for Love’s sake.  They had to endure it so they could save the future. 

“Now, Coraline, I need to you think about everything that happened to you on the day that you came here.  I need you to think about every single detail, large and small.  Dig inside yourself and just remember.  Just think about that day and nothing else.  When you’re ready, I’ll pass the dream catcher over your head.  It will take in the memories and show them to us when we’re done.  Just relax and tell me when you’re ready to begin,” Regina explained to her.

Coraline took a deep breath.  She looked at them like she was being interrogated by the police and Emma had to inwardly chuckle to herself about the thought.  She knew that it couldn’t be easy for Coraline to tell them what happened to her.  She knew that Coraline was afraid that too much information would change things too drastically and they may do irrevocable damage to the timeline they were on as it was. 

Coraline looked up at Regina and nodded.  She passed the dream catcher over her head.  Emma and Regina watched the magic swirl in the dream catcher.  To be sure, Regina ran it over her head again.  Not wanting to lose anything. 

Coraline looked at Regina expectantly as she leaned further back into the chair.  It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.  She didn’t have to carry the memories alone anymore.  She knew that her mothers would only use it to find the information they needed to be prepared.  They wouldn’t use it for anything further.  They would change just enough of the future so they would win the day and defeat the Blackness. 

“Well?” Coraline asked them.

“When you are ready,” Regina started.

“I am ready now,” Coraline replied.

Regina looked at her.  She could see the fear and apprehension in her eyes.  She knew that Coraline wasn’t prepared to show them these memories, but she also knew that Coraline hoped they would find what they needed in them.  It was a double edged sword that they were on and tipping the balance could cut them all deeply.

Regina held out the dream catcher before her.  She knew that once she started the memory she wouldn’t be able to pull herself from it until it completed its cycle.  She was just about to focus on the memory and watch performed on the face of the dream catcher when Will came barging into the room.  Regina almost dropped the dream catcher, but caught it before anyone else could touch it and ruin the memory stored inside it.

“Sorry, Majesty, to disturb you but Rumple is at the shield.”

Regina’s eyes turned violet.  She dropped her hand to her side and looked into the wild eyes of the Vulcannonian.  Will’s eyes peeled from Regina to Coraline’s.  The need to protect them both shined back at Regina in reflection and she knew that the love between them was real.  She would do anything to protect her daughter and she knew that Will would as well.  She stared down at the dream catcher.

“Has he breached it, yet?” Regina asked her, not looking up.

“Not yet, my Queen, but he’s testing it.  Hard.  It’s only a matter of time.”

“Emma, go with Will.  Make sure that the fairies have the reinforcements in place.  Get the herbs and other items to the vault.  Once everything is secured, come get Coraline and go.  I’ll stay here with Red, Will, Tink, and Blue,” Regina ordered them.

Emma just stared at her.  She couldn’t believe that Regina was just going to dismiss her like that.  They needed to stay together and fight.  They would fight as a family.  She wasn’t going to let anything happen to any of them.

“I am not going to leave you,” Emma replied forcefully.

Will saw the wrath beginning to build and she knew it was only a matter of time before Regina unleashed it on Rumple and the world.  She watched the silent interaction between them, but said nothing.  Emma grabbed her on the shoulders and kissed her hard.    

“I am not sending you away.  We’ll meet you there.  Open up the vault fully and allow them all a room.  I’m not leaving you behind, Emma.  I am going to distract him long enough and then, we’ll be there.”

“You’d better.  We need to see that memory.  Don’t forget about that,” Emma told her and gave her another fierce kiss.

“Go,” Regina whispered to her.

Emma took Coraline and left to do Regina’s biding.  Will was still behind her awaiting further instruction.  She looked from Regina’s face to her hand.

“The dream catcher?” Will asked.

“Holds some of Coraline’s memories.”

“You going to watch them.”

“Yes.”

“Without Emma?”

“It is for Coraline’s sanity and my own.”

“Why?” Will asked her.

“Because she told me that I am the one that sent her here,” Regina told her.

“How is that possible if you are dead?”

“That is what we are about to find out, Will.  And, no matter what we see, you are not to tell Emma about it.  She cannot know the truth if it is something that she shouldn’t know.”

“And, what would that be?” Will questioned

“That I am the Black Queen,” Regina replied.


	31. Chapter 31

_The room was dark and dank.  It was cold and unforgiving.  There was so much despair in there that she couldn’t believe that she had made it this long, even though she didn’t really know how long she had actually been there.  Her body was racked with pain.  The blood was caked on her, the walls, and the floor of the dungeon cell.  She pulled the blanket up around her shoulders further, trying to stave off the chill in the air.  She hunkered down in the corner and waited for the Black Queen to come back._

_She hissed as she gingerly touched her forearm, surveying the damage that she had sustained from her last meeting with the Black Queen.  The cut was deep but clean.  It wouldn’t scar too bad.  She knew that the blanket would help with that, too._

_She didn’t have much cloth left from her clothes to patch herself up and she wasn’t about to rip the blanket apart to help.  She looked at the small plate of water across the cell longingly.  She didn’t have the energy to get up and go to it.  Instead she wrapped the blanket around her tighter and leaned into the wall, hoping that sleep would come over her.  At least her dreams didn’t hurt; they only gave her a sense of hope, which she knew was dangerous but addictive._

_She knew that only in her sleep would she find the reprieve that she needed to get well.  She still didn’t understand why the Black Queen let her keep the resurrection cloak.  But, then again everything that she thought that she knew about the Black Queen hadn’t turned out to be all true.  Sure she was sadistic and evil, but there was some sort of humanity behind her actions.  She would just have to keep pushing in their sessions until she found the right button.  Once she did then she would be able to pursue it further and find a way out of that dungeon and back home to Rumple’s castle on the far side of the Enchanted Forest._

_She shivered.  Her whole body was a mess.  She could feel the fractures mending.  She could bear the pain of her body knitting itself back together.  She suffered with each organ repairing itself.  She could taste the blood in her mouth as it faded further into memory.  She couldn’t comprehend the need to be pummeled only to be healed the next moment._

_She knew that it was a fear tactic.  She sat in wonder each time that she was brought back to her cell.  Each time she would spend thinking that this might be the last time that she entered that cell alive.  She didn’t know how much more she could experience this craziness of pain.  There was no rhyme or reason to the torture.  It had just become a constant in her life since she had been captured._

_Another chill ran down her spine.  The damp stone walls did nothing to keep the heat of the day inside at night.  She looked out through the bars across the expanse of the dungeons to a barred window.  The moon was just rising.  She would have a scant few hours to mend herself under that blanket.  Time was the enemy of the night for her.  Torture was the enemy of the day._

_Sometime later she awoke, fresh and mended.  She sighed.  Another day meant more torture.  Her body felt new, like it did every morning.  She stood, still wrapped in the blanket and moved towards the door of her cell._

_She grabbed the bowl of water and slacked her thirst.  She thought about dropping it, but set it back down with almost no sound.  She looked out into the blue sky and wondered if anyone was close to finding her.  She wondered if Ruby and Belle had started a man hunt, but then as soon as she thought it, she hoped that they hadn’t._

_“Are you awake?” the small frail voice from the cell that was next to hers asked._

_“As I can be,” she replied._

_“Is it worse than yesterday?”_

_“About the same,” she replied._

_“Do you need anything?”_

_“To be free,” she quipped._

_“Besides that,” the other prisoner stated, with a pained laugh._

_“We could talk,” she suggested._

_“About?”_

_“Anything really.  I miss being able to converse with my aunts.  They could keep me sane.”_

_“They sound special,” the prisoner stated._

_“They are.”_

_She was trying to hide the pain in her voice.  She didn’t want to seem weak because she knew that the Black Queen had spies everywhere.  This voice wasn’t a spy.  She had never revealed anything to the Black Queen.  Coraline knew.  She’d tested the voice several times, telling her things and waiting.  But, the Black Queen never used those facts against her.  Somewhere besides her guts and her tests, Coraline knew that she the inherent ability to trust the voice._

_“Why are they so special to you?” the voice questioned her._

_“They made me who I am,” Coraline answered moving back to the far corner of her cell._

_“And, who are you?”_

_“I am a strong woman that came here to free the world from the Black Queen.”_

_“How is that working out for you?” the prisoner asked._

_“Not very well, I must say.  I haven’t got out yet.  But, tomorrow…tomorrow will be the day.  Tomorrow, I will have another chance.  I will find a way,” she told the other prisoner._

_She wanted to laugh but her sides were still mending.  She could feel the pain in her slight mirth.  The levity of the situation wasn’t lost on her.  It actually gave her strength and hope that tomorrow would really be the day that she found her way out._

_“Tomorrow is always brighter than today.”_

_“It is always brighter when you have someone to share it with,” she told her._

_“That is true.  I was so lonely before you came.  I miss all those I love, but I know that I will never have them again.  I can’t wait for my tomorrow with those I love.  The Black Queen thrives on hatred and anger.  Love is her enemy.  She has forgotten how to love.  But, Love makes things magical,” the prisoner said in response._

_“Love…love is a farce.  All Love has ever done to me is take things away.  All Love has done is die.  Love is not going to save me.  It never has,” she spit out with a little more venom than she felt, but she couldn’t stop the thoughts if she wanted to._

_“Do your aunts not love you?” the other prisoner asked, suddenly very worried about her._

_“I don’t know what real love is,” she replied._

_“Be thankful for that, Coraline French.  Love is weakness.  Do you see what it has done for you?” the Black Queen stated standing before the cell door.  “It has delivered you here.  There is no one coming for you, dear.  You are dead to them.  And, you’re better off because now…now they cannot hurt you completely.  Here you are safe from the trappings of love and foolishness.”_

_Her dress was black as always, frilled, and very courtly.  No skin was to be seen as it was covered in silk, lace and velvet.  Her hands and her face were covered.  A pale mask was the only visage that anyone ever saw of her face, but all who saw it wondered what hideousness could lie underneath the simple white mask.  There was no fluidity in her movements, but if one watched her long enough they would see a grace that was once there.  Her movements weren’t choppy, but more defined rigid, more purposeful, like she had to think each movement through before executing it.  The light seemed to sink into her, like she was the darkness itself.  There was no light radiating from her.  There was just an aura of shadow that surrounded her.  She was the Black Queen.  She was the manifestation of the Blackness that was still ravaging the land._

_Coraline made her way to the front of the cell.  From her vantage point she could see only the queen.  She knew that there was at least one other prisoner in this grouping of cells, and she was the voice that she had been talking to for some time.  The only problem with knowing that was that she couldn’t see the other cell.  She knew that the other prisoner was a woman, but other than that…_

_“Don’t worry about your little friend over there,” the Black Queen started.  “She is going to be just fine.  I like her just where she is.  She…livens up the place for me and gives it a…flare.”_

_“Then what is my point?  Why am I here?  What do you really want from me?” Coraline asked her, leaning into the cell bars and staring in the blank face mask before her._

_“You are going to tell me where the rebels are hiding.”_

_“What rebels?” Coraline asked walking away from the cell door and turning her back on the queen._

_She knew it had been a mistake as soon as she heard the sound, but she couldn’t seem to make herself care.  She wanted the Black Queen mad.  She wanted to see what she would do beyond the normal torture that she inflicted.  She knew it was wrong, but she didn’t care.  She took another step, her back still to the door.  She felt her heart drop at the sound of the door.  She heard the click and her body went rigid in preparations of the coming pain._

_The cell door unlocked and opened wide, hitting the wall with a loud and reverberating clang.  The Queen was upon her before she could stop it.  The blanket was ripped off and tossed across the cell.  Like many times before, she was lifted off the ground by some unseen force and held in the air.  Her feet were dangling as the invisible whips started across her back._

_The pain shot through her skin and into her muscles.  She knew each and every agonizing slice through her flesh like each stroke was place for optimal tearing and searing anguish.  She felt her body contract with the pain.  She couldn’t stop the scream that flowed through her body.  She couldn’t stop the anger that was building inside her.  She couldn’t suppress the deep rooted, anger fueling, power growing inside her body.  She felt the all-consuming rage building to a fever pitch and she thought that today, she would lose the battle._

_Her mind was at war with itself.  She could unleash the power within and destroy the queen, but she knew in doing so the darkness that surrounded her would consume her.  She had to find another way into the Blackness.  It was feeding on her, pushing her to her limits and hoping that she would break.  But, Coraline dug deep into herself and found the one thing that her heart and her body knew more than her own mind ever could…LOVE.   It needed her darkness.  It needed her to find her anger and embrace with both hands the way she had done with the notion of Love._

_“I can’t tell you what I don’t know!” she screamed as another lash crossed her body._

_“More’s the pity.  I could do this all day to you, little one.  But, I have more important things to do.  People to kill.  Villages to burn.  You know…have a little fun.  Won’t they all be delighted to hear that their newest savior couldn’t help them?”_

_“The Savior is dead!” she spat out through clenched teeth with some blood as she fell onto the cold stone floor beneath her._

_She stared blankly at the stone floor.  Seeing for the first time the blood filled spittle that had come from her own mouth.  She spat to rid her mouth of more of the metallic liquid pooling there.  She scrambled to her feet.  Trying to find purchase on the floor with her feet as she glared with building hatred for the sable clothed woman before her._

_She felt herself losing the war.  Her pain was fueling the balling anger in the pit of her stomach.  Her eyes rolled back as she tried, desperately to calm herself.  And, then it just happened.  A warm feeling enclosed her like a hug from a far and the anger subsided.  She shook off the hatred and waited for the queen to do her worst._

_“Ah, yes, the Savior is dead.  But, there is still another.  She had a daughter.  I believe they call her the Survivor.  She is what I want.  Give her to me and I’ll spare your friends, wherever they may be.  Because Coraline, I will find them and when I do, I will kill them all.”_

_Coraline stared up into the mask.  She couldn’t find any eyes.  She was beginning to believe that the creature before her had no soul.  And, if she had no soul, there would be no way to reason with her for the safety of anyone.  She fell back to the floor still trying to find some much need strength for this daily battle._

_Her mind wasn’t refreshed.  Her body might have been healed but it wasn’t immune to the sinister actions of the queen.  She wasn’t prepared for death and it didn’t look like the Black Queen was going to let her go…quietly either.  She knew that her mind would break first.  She knew then that was the queen’s endgame.  She was trying to break her mind, not her body._

_She had heard stories of the Dark One, but this woman bore no resemblance to the menacing man of the stories.  She was evil.  There was no reasoning with her.  She was nothing but shadows and vice.  There was nothing human about her.  It didn’t matter how much she looked for it; it was not there._

_Coraline decided to change her tactics.  She needed to keep her wits about her.  She needed to get as much information as she could.  Information was power and she knew the truth in that because of Belle and Ruby’s teachings.  She would need that now._

_“How long have I been here?” she asked, rising to her knees but swaying._

_The Black Queen regarded this gesture with wonder.  She took a step towards her, then around her.  She studied her own psychotic handy work.  She pondered the heap before her.  The girl on the floor wasn’t breaking like the last few that they had captured.  She truly was an anomaly._

_“Does it hurt much?” she asked Coraline, continuing her torture with words._

_“How long have I been here?”_

_“Does it really matter when I fileted your back open so…beautifully, dear?”_

_“How long have I been here?!?” Coraline shouted trying to hold in her rage._

_“Ah, there is fight in you yet.  Good.  I wasn’t done playing with you.  I’m glad that you are still well enough to play along.  I do so hate it when all the fight is gone with my toys.”_

_“HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN HERE?!?” she screamed out at the top of her lungs._

_“SIXTY DAYS!!!” the call came back from the other cell._

_Coraline knew that the information had come from her fellow prisoner.  She also knew that she would be punished for her actions.  Coraline winced in the knowledge, but didn’t let the queen see it.  She needed to make sure that she kept the queen’s attention on her._

_The Black Queen’s head turned sharply towards the other cell.  A muffled cry was heard and then nothing more.  She turned back to Coraline before her._

_“What does it matter, Little One?  One day or sixty, I will still break you.  I’ve won already.  You will tell me what I want to know because your mind will go before your body.”_

_Coraline rose to her full height.  It wasn’t much, but it was enough to get her point across.  The queen could beat her.  She could torture her, but Coraline would not break.  She pushed the thoughts about the pain the other prisoner could have experienced away.  She had to stay strong._

_“Sixty days?  I still haven’t broken.  Sixty more will give you the same,” she taunted the queen._

_“You will break.  They always do.  I will find your weakness, dear.  It is what I am good at.”_

_“I have none.  You said yourself: ‘Love is weakness.’  I don’t know love.  I have no weakness for you to exploit.  The rebels mean nothing to me.  They were just there to keep me alive so that I could come here and kill you.  I will do that.  I will destroy you.  I will win.”_

_“Funny…I don’t see how you are going to do that behind bars, dear, and you are at my mercy.  You can’t get out.  You’re on an island, surrounded by miles and miles of water.  No one will set you free.  I like to keep my play things close.  I think that I will keep you a little while longer.”_

_“I don’t need to be completely free to kill you.  Once you’re dead, you’re dead.  Then the Blackness will answer to me.  I am not afraid of it or you,” Coraline told her._

_“You don’t seem to understand, Little One.  The Blackness answers to no one but the darkness itself.  It has no master but rage and evil.  Killing me will only make you the newest target.”_

_“You don’t know me.”_

_“I don’t need to know you to feel the rage that wafts off you like a stink.  You smell like forest and blood.  I am sure that you can’t help it.  You are just a lowly knight and a peasant.  There is nothing that someone with such a low birth as yours could do.  You will just give them false hope and platitudes that will just cause more death and destruction.  Anything that you think that you can do will just cause more grief for those who think that supporting you would be a good idea.”_

_“That much remains to be seen,” Coraline replied._

_“Who are you really?” the Black Queen asked, taking a calculated step forward._

_She sensed the change in Coraline.  There was something more about the way she carried herself that the queen hadn’t noticed before.  She was confident, almost to the point of royalty or high born upbringing.  There were just some things that couldn’t be unlearned once taught._

_“I’m your destruction.”_

_The queen watched her.  She saw the fire in her eyes.  She could see her breaking point coming to fruition.  She just needed to bide her time and keep pushing.  She just needed to study her some more.  There was something with this prisoner that was different than the rest._

_“And, how are you going to destroy me?”_

_“By giving you what you want,” Coraline stated._

_The queen took another step forward.  And, then another, until she was almost on top of Coraline.  Her broken body, barely covered, beaten and bleeding, held itself up.  The power in her magic had already started to mend the unseen wounds inside.  The scars upon scars were slowly tightening on her back under the watchful gaze of the Black Queen._

_Coraline wished in that moment that she could see the actual face of the queen.  She couldn’t read her.  There was something just so closed off about her gloomy appearance and her dark demeanor that Coraline recognized.  She didn’t know what it was or why she did, but there was just something there, something below the surface that she understood on some strange level._

_The Black Queen watched her intensely.  She could feel the queen’s eyes on her without being able to see them behind the voids in the mask.  She could picture a faint smile gracing an unknown face.  She cocked her head and let the magic flow through her, hoping that it could somehow help her learn more about the queen._

_“And, what do I want?”_

_“Me,” Coraline said loud enough, hoping that she would take the bait._

_The queen stopped her pacing and turned sharply at the standing corpse before her.  She cocked her head trying to gauge the authority of the tone, the authenticity of gestures, and regality of a glance.  She couldn’t find it.  She was too…pedestrian._

_“Ha,” the queen laughed.  “You are no more than a simple woodsman’s daughter, possibly a trained hunter, but you are no one of consequence.  You have learned to speak well, but you don’t have any authority among the people you think that you are protecting.  You are not worthy of the esteem in which you think they give you.  You are a pretender.”_

_“Then show me your face,” Coraline demanded._

_The queen moved again.  Constantly struggling at a nagging feeling in her brain that somehow she knew this young woman before her.  She couldn’t see the connections.  Her coloring was all wrong.  The girl she was looking for was blonde not brunette.  Her eyes were like walnut in the spring, not coal in the winter.  This woman was not the girl she sought._

_“I don’t have to do anything for you,” the queen told her._

_“Then I have nothing to tell you.”_

_A fireball exploded into the queen’s hand.  She cocked her head again and again like she was scanning Coraline for a mark or something, something that would betray her true identity.  The cloth slipped from her shoulder and she saw the tattoo.  A knight…she was a knight and a member of the elite guard.  But, she was young, far too young to have earned that tattoo._

_“You are nothing more than a poser.”_

_The queen absent mindedly threw the fireball at her.  Coraline ducked and it hit the stone wall behind her.  She rose to her full height again, barely towering over the Black Queen.  Again, another fireball appeared.  She loosed it at Coraline, who caught this one and threw it back at her.  It hit the mask, dislodging it, and knocking it to the floor._

_As the clay mask shatter on the floor, Coraline straightened her body.  A calm came over her like nothing she ever felt.  Her arms tingled and her eyes started to see things that she had forgotten._

_“I AM THE PRINCESS REMY OF THE WINTERLANDS.  I AM YOUR SURVIVOR.  I AM THE SWAN PRINCESS THAT YOU SEEK AND I WILL BE YOUR DESTRUCTION!!!” she yelled as she ran towards the momentarily distracted Black Queen knocking her out of the cell and onto the stone floor just outside of the cell._

_Coraline stocked the woman like a lioness to a deer.  Her feet, unshod, slapped against the terribly cold stone, but she didn’t feel it.  Her body was wrapped in that cloak and it was mending itself like it had done every night before.  She raised her face to the sunlight from the windows and sniffed the fresher sea air._

_“Remy?” she heard from the other cell._

_She looked up and found a round faced older woman with greying hair.  Her hazel green eyes looked over Coraline like she was seeing a ghost.  There was a glint in her eyes that Coraline thought she might have recognized years before, but now, it meant nothing._

_“Remy?” the prisoner asked again._

_“Yes, I am Princess Remy,” Coraline confirmed._

_The Black Queen still hadn’t made a move to stand.  Coraline didn’t know what to do.  She studied the crumpled creature before her, careful not to get to close.  She knelt down and her back protested every movement.  The pain seared into her flesh like fresh wounds often do._

_“Who are you really, Black Queen?” she asked as she reached down to turn her head._

_Fingers gently touched the side of the Black Queen’s head, turning towards the sun light.  Much to her dismay the sunlight did nothing to exposed pale and ghostly white skin.  Coraline cocked her head and held a gasp as her eyes finally lay on the true face of the Black Queen._

_“Kill me already,” she begged._

_Coraline hadn’t even touched her in anger and she was begging for death.  This was a new and very unusual development.  Her dark eyes met the dark eyes in the sunken face and recognition flowed through her like ice cold water._

_“YOU?!?” Coraline screamed falling backward as she tried to scramble away.  “It was YOU this entire time.  How?  How could you do this?”_

_“I have no choice.  I have no control.  The Blackness controls me.  You have to go.  You have to leave.  Do you know the spell?”_

_“What spell?” Coraline asked as she continued to seek the relative safety of her cell._

_“Your arms, Remy.  Look at your damn arms.  Those tattoos will save you.  SAVE US!!!”_

_Coraline looked at her arms.  Black and blue ink swirled into patterns and shapes that she swore she’d never seen before this day.  Her arms burned like they were raw.  And, then they started glowing.  She looked over at the queen and then her arms again._

_“What SPELL?”_

_“Gather your things,” the queen whispered._

_Coraline grabbed her satchel of items.  All thought to be meaningless, but all have a meaning to the family Swan-Mills.  Any of them might have given her away if they had only looked hard enough, but they hadn’t.  They’d thrown her into the cell like a common criminal, no trial, no witnesses, no visitors, just a cold and dark cell._

_“What am I doing?” she thought aloud._

_“Repeat the words I tell you,” the queen told her._

_Coraline just nodded.  There was nothing that needed to be said.  They were both in shock but were both preparing to die at the other’s hands.  There was nothing that they could say in that moment that would prepare them for the craziness that they were about to unleash.  The queen knew what she had to do.  Coraline could only obey._

“ _Tempus fugit…_ _lux dimitte…tenebris amore…familia inveneris…portum aperta…ius iniuriam **[1]**…. Say them!” the queen howled at her._

_Coraline repeated the words, but nothing happened._

_“Say them and thrust your arms together.  It will send you back.  You will be able to stop this.  Your sacrifices will be rewarded to you later.  Say the words again.”_

_“Remy?!?” the other prisoner called out to her._

_With her mind distracted, Coraline didn’t know what to do._

_“Do it, Remy!” the prisoner called out._

_She looked at the woman again.  The familiarity was there but she still couldn’t place it.  She had dimples and strangely warm eyes.  Her smile was fixated on Coraline, just as her eyes were pleading with her to say the words._

_“SAY THE WORDS, REMY!!!” the prisoner shouted as the queen started to regain herself._

_Coraline turned from the prisoner to the queen mumbling the words and wrapping herself tighter in the cloak.  She looked up into the face of the once hidden queen and her heart faltered.  The gaunt face had filled in and a light shown in the dark eyes that were so much like her own._

_“DO IT NOW, REMY!!!” the prisoner yelled._

_“Who are you?” Coraline finally asked as her mind finally caught up with her situation._

_“My name is Snow, Snow White.  I am your grandmother.  Now, please for the love of your mothers cast that curse and go save us.  You are truly our only hope.  I love you, Remy!”_

_The queen threw out an arm and Snow was tossed to the back of her cell.  Coraline winced as she heard her body hit the wall and then the floor.  She steeled herself for the coming blows from the now revealed Black Queen._

_“Go, now…” the queen whispered._

_“I don’t understand…”_

_“You don’t need to understand, Remy.  I can’t hold her back much longer.  Go.  Save us all.  You’re the only one strong enough to do it.  Cast the spell.”_

_“But, Mom…” Coraline stated, dropping to her knees and weeping._

_“Please, Remy, for once in your life obey and cast the spell.  We will see each other again.  Please my darling daughter do IT!!!”_

_Coraline stood back and began to recite the words over and over.  She held her arms out like she had remembered watching Regina do countless times, bent at the elbows, fists skyward.  She closed her eyes and imagined a world that she had never seen, a time she’d never known and place that she’d only read about in fable: Storybrooke._

_“Go.  Now.  And, never forget I love you,” the queen bid her before the darkness took over._

_“TEMPUS FUGIT!!!” she screamed._

_“You will not succeed,” the Black queen cackled._

_“LUX DIMITTE!!!”_

_“No one can help you now,” she hissed at Coraline._

_“TENEBRIS AMORE!!!”_

_“There is no one who can stop me.”_

_“FAMILIA INVENERIS!!!”_

_“I will kill you,” she spat out closing the distance a little more between them._

_“PORTUM APERTA!!!”_

_“I will own your body and your soul.  You will be my new slave.  You will be the new Queen.”_

_“IUS INIUNRIAM!!!”_

_“I WILL HAVE YOU!!!” the queen screeched._

_“I forgive you, Mother,” she whispered as she threw her arms together, slamming her pinkies, fists, elbows, and forearms up together in front of her face._

_The light that formed was blinding and quicker than lightning.  The ground beneath her feet moved and gave way.  Suddenly she was falling.  She was falling fast and there didn’t seem to be an end in sight.  She was just tumbling into an abyss._

_Then her body hit something solid, something damp and green.  Her fingers splayed out against the new ground and found dirt and grass.  Her body screamed out in pain but no words would come from her lips.  She heard voices in the distance, then birds, then feet.  She couldn’t move._

_“Mother Superior, come quick, there is a woman in need of help.”_

_Blue gathered her cloak and made her way out the convent to the gardens.  She was surprised to see a young brunette woman no older than twenty-five lying there in the garden grass.  She was battered, bruised and burned._

_“Help me get her inside, Sisters.  I’ll take care of her.  Until I know more, don’t speak of this to anyone from town.  She may need our help,” Blue told them._

_Once they had her in a room, Blue shooed everyone out.  She sent Nova to get some supplies.  When Nova came back into the room, Blue asked her to stay._

_“I am going to need your help,” Blue told her._

_“Yes, Blue.”_

_They slowly washed her body.  The more dirt they washed away the more wounds they found.  Nova gasped as they saw the burns and scars upon her arms and back.  There didn’t seem to be a place on her body that hadn’t been touched by whatever torture she had suffered._

_“Those are…those are…”_

_“Magic burns, yes, I know.  This poor woman has survived a lot.  I don’t know why she was in the garden, but judging by her wounds, she needs our help.”_

_“I agree.”_

_“Nova, when we are done cleaning her up, I’ll need these items quickly,” Blue told her handing her a list._

_“Yes, Blue, I’ll go get them now.”_

_“Don’t worry, young one.  You’re in safe hands now.  I’ll heal your body.”_

_“Hmmpf…”_

_“Don’t try to speak.  Rest now.  I’ll make sure that no one knows you are here.  When you can tell me what has happened to you, you will.  Then, we will decide what to do.”_

Regina dropped the dream catcher.  Her body swayed but before she hit the floor Will caught her.  She eased her down to the floor, cradling her head.  The look of horror in her eyes only rivaled the look of terror and anguish for Regina in Will’s.  She turned away from her, unable to meet her gaze and unwilling to see any emotion in the Vulcannonian’s face.

“I did that to my own flesh?” she asked rhetorically, pulling out of Will’s grasp.

“You didn’t do that, Regina.  You couldn’t.  It was the Blackness.”

“I burned my own daughter and for what?  Information on her own whereabouts.  I tried to kill her.  Or, did you not see that?” Regina questioned, shuffling away from Will.

“Regina, that wasn’t you,” Will stated firmly.

The air in her lungs was gone.  Her body was on fire and the rage that was always just below the surface was trying to manifest itself.  Only this rage wasn’t directed outwardly at someone who had wrong her or slighted her.  No, this rage was pointed directly at herself.  She didn’t know how to not hate herself for the crimes that she hadn’t actually committed yet, but she was learning quickly.  She was the one that hurt Coraline.  She had no one else to blame.

“Were you watching the same memory that I was, because that was me.  I was older and darker than I ever thought I could possibly be, but it was still me.  I did that to my own daughter.  I caused those scars on her back which still haven’t healed.  I can’t heal them.  I don’t know how.  Emma can’t either.  We’ve tried.  I disfigured my own daughter.  I hurt her!  That was me, Will!  Did you see anyone else in the room with her?  NO!  Because, I am the one that did that to her.  I am the one that ripped open her flesh and made her bleed.  I burned her!” Regina yelled at her.

“You didn’t do it.  The Black Queen did.  She is the one that hurt Coraline.  You fought the darkness and released her.  You sent her to the past to help stop the Blackness.  Regina, you did that, not the Black Queen.  She is the evil one, not you.  As soon as she told you who she was, you fought.  From whatever deep recesses that the Blackness forced you into inside your own mind, you clawed your way out and helped her to freedom.  You sent her here to help us stop it.”

Regina just looked at her like she had two heads.  She couldn’t believe that Will was defending her actions.  She was horrified at what she had seen.  She had magically hurt her own daughter in some veiled attempt at an interrogation.  There was no true interrogation.  It was all a sadistic mind fuck that she enjoyed giving her prisoners.  She’d done it before and now, she knew that she would do it again.  Only this time she would her pleasure in torturing her to the point of insanity rather than death.  It was more pleasurable torturing on her part and physical and mental anguish on Coraline’s.  She couldn’t stand herself at that moment.

She felt the bile rising into her throat.  She wanted to purge herself so deeply in that moment that she didn’t realize that Coraline had warned her of this weeks ago.  She hadn’t listened to the warnings because they didn’t make sense.  She was more worried about her relationship with her daughter than seeing what her daughter was truly trying to tell her.

She knew that darkness was a part of her, but to see it so…unadulterated as that frightened Regina to the core.  She didn’t know what to do.  She was as clueless as the rest of them, but now…now she was determined to let that future happen.

“I have to stop that from happening.”

“No, Regina, you don’t,” Will told her.

“Yes, I do!” she said with more force, her eyes swirling with violet.

“No, you don’t, Regina.  We do.  We will find a way.  We will stop it.  I promise you that.”

“Don’t promise me something that you obviously can’t deliver,” Regina quipped.

“She may not be able to,” Emma said, rejoining them, “But, together we can do anything.  I think that we have already proven that.  We will do it again.  We will stop the Blackness.”

“How much did you hear?” Regina asked, tears in her eyes.

“Enough to know that you saved our daughter from the Black Queen.  Your darkness may be the Black Queen, Regina, but she isn’t you.  She may look like you and sound like you, but she will never be you and do you know why?” Emma asked her.

“No,” she replied with a breathy whisper.

“Because you’ve found your Love and you are willing to fight for it.  Against all the odds put against you, you found your happiness with me.  We have a daughter and in the moment when she needed her mother the most, you, Regina broke free and sent her home.  You did that.  You didn’t hurt her.  You never would.  You’ve proven that to her time and time again, here.  Everything that we have done has been for her and her future.  So, stop pitying yourself.  Stand up and own up to the fact that you are a powerful sorceress and you are going to help me…us… defeat the Blackness.  Cause if you can’t do that, then I need to know now before it is too late.”

“I will stand with you!” Will told her.

“Regina?” Emma asked.

“I will not let that future happen. I cannot.  I will not.  Blackness or no Blackness, no one hurts my daughter while I can still fight,” Regina vowed.

“Now, that’s my girl.  Let’s go.  Rumple is still hard at work and we don’t need to be here when he finally gets through the barrier.”

“I need to see Coraline.”

“Of course, Regina, of course,” Emma replied taking her hand and leading her away.

 

[1] “time flies…light forgive…darkness love…family find…port open…right wrong”, as translated from Google.com Translator.

 


	32. Chapter 32

They appeared in the vault.  Everyone was already there.  They had conceded to let Rumple break through the barrier.  There was nothing for him there.  They’d hidden it all.  They didn’t know what he wanted anyway, so they hid it all.

Emma could see that Regina was still on edge.  She didn’t know what to do for her.  She didn’t know what to say.  She’d tried to comfort her, but she didn’t know if she could.

“Where is Coraline?” Regina demanded as soon as the smoke cleared.

Coraline peered around a bookcase and saw the look in her mother’s eyes.  She knew then that Regina had seen the memories.  She still didn’t understand what good could come from that memory and now, she knew that no good would come from it.

She stepped around further so Regina could fully see her.  Emma caught the slight hesitation, but she didn’t say anything.  She just beckoned for Coraline to come forward.

“Will, can you go check on everyone?” Emma asked, knowing they needed some privacy.

“Sure,” Will answered, knowing that Emma and Regina needed to talk to Coraline alone.

Coraline crossed the room and stopped in front of Emma.  She waited for one of them to say something to her, to let her know what they needed, what they wanted, but instead, Emma wrapped her arm around her shoulders given her a half hug and pulled her along.  She made her follow them into a small bedroom off the hallway.  Coraline would have been more apprehensive had it been anyone other than Emma with her in that moment.

“Coraline…” Regina started to say before the emotion took her over.

“I tried to spare you that,” Coraline stated as she sat on the bed.

Emma helped Regina onto the bed as well.  She was content to pace.  She tried to stop herself when she saw the looks that she was getting from both Regina and Coraline.  She slowed her step, but didn’t stop pacing.  Emma smiled at them.  Coraline leaned into Regina’s welcoming arms.  She sighed and watched as Emma paced before them, unsure of what to do.

“Why didn’t you tell us before now?” Emma asked.

“What did you want me to tell you?” Coraline questioned in response.

“You should have told me that I became the Black Queen,” Regina whispered.

“How could I tell you that?” Coraline inquired, still clutching her mother.

“I don’t know, but you should have.”

“Will you tell us more about it now?” Emma asked.

“What more is there to tell?” Coraline questioned.

Emma stopped pacing and Coraline started.  Her eyes were flashing colors, purple and green.  Her hands would flair and smoke, but she never thrust it outward.  Regina watched her, amazed at her quite resistance, her ability to hold back when she was this frustrated, and her need to protect her family when she was still this angry with them for dying on her as a child.

“Stop,” Regina commanded, forcefully but quietly.

“What?” Coraline asked, turning to find Regina staring right at her.

“Just stop.  Stop pacing.  Stop hiding.  Stop protecting us.”

Coraline turned a little more fully.  She stopped right in front of Regina.  She looked into her mother’s eyes and she recognized her own.  She fell on the ground in front of her and let her head fall into Regina’s lap.  Regina for her part just held her and ran her hand through her daughter’s hair. 

Their bond wasn’t perfect.  Their bond was beyond time and pain.  Their bond was magical and infinite.  They were mother and daughter.  Nothing and no one would ever take that away from them.  Even though, Regina had yet to carry her, the bond between them was just as strong as if she had already.  She couldn’t describe and she wouldn’t dare try.  As soon as she realized that Coraline was her, she knew that there was nothing that she wouldn’t do for her.  Stopping the Blackness had become priority number one.  Finding out that she became the Black Queen put a damper on things, but she learned while finding out that knowledge more about the Blackness.

“It needs a host,” Regina said like it was the answer on how to stop the horrible future to come.

“What?” Emma asked.

“The Blackness…it needs a host.  It needs a host in order to survive.  If it something happens soon that causes the Blackness to be released, then it will need to find a host.  We know that I am not its first host.  We know this because you’ve told us that much.  You fought off the Blackness in the castle after I went to avenge Emma’s death.  It took Emma and then came after us.  You fought it.  You hurt it somehow.  Evidently, I didn’t die that die like you thought,” Regina said.

“Yeah, it took me twenty something years to find out that.  I spent my entire life thinking you were both dead only to be tortured by my worst fear.  I spent weeks in a cell being tortured by the nightmarish Black Queen.  My body was broken and abused every day.  At night, she’d made sure that I was put back in my cell wrapped in the Resurrection Blanket.”

“She would break you and then heal you?” Emma asked.

“It’s more torture,” Will replied. 

“What?” Emma questioned quietly, looking at her friend and her lover’s body guard.

“It was another way to break her down.  The mind can only handle so much.  The cloak or blanket can’t heal her mind.  It could only heal the body.  The crazy thing is that Regina even as the Black Queen knew that Coraline wouldn’t break easily because she didn’t.  She was trying to buy time,” Will told them.

“Buy time for what?” Coraline asked, confused by the new line of thinking.

“For you to find a way to help me fight back,” Regina answered.

“Fight back?  Fight back from what?  She becomes the host,” Emma stated.

“I do, but as such, I retain part of myself.  You said that the Black Queen seemed obsessed with finding ‘Regina’s Daughter.’  This means that the Black Queen sees herself as a separate identity to me.  It also means that I must fight her.  This would be why she covers up her appearance.”

“The mask?”

“She never took it off while she was in my presence until the day I told her my real name and who I really was.  She always kept herself covered.  She never once betrayed her true identity.”

“Because she couldn’t,” Will added.  “She was the Black Queen.  Regina had become the vessel in which it inhibited.  It needed Regina to stay pliant and do its bidding.  If it had Remy, she could do that or force her to do it.”

“But the plan backfired,” Coraline responded.

“Because as soon as I heard your name, I knew who you were,” Regina stated remembering from the vision the look on her own face with Coraline told the Black Queen her name was Remy.

“A mother’s bond?” Emma asked.

“Like True Love, in certain incidents, a Mother’s Love is a powerful magic.  It can cause great feats of strength.  It will make a sane woman run into a burning building to save her children…”

“It will cause a grief stricken vessel to fight back and send her daughter then only place that she knew that she would be free of the Blackness and its corruption,” Regina told them.

“To a time when she could possibly help stop it,” Coraline stated.

“To a place that the Blackness couldn’t find her,” Emma said.

“And, to friends that would find a way to stop it before it starts,” Will added.

“So sending me here, now, is some sort of catalyst to break the chain of events?”

“It has to be.”

“But, nothing about my life has changed.”

“This time it has,” Will stated.

“How?”

“I am here.”

“What?!?” Emma asked.

“In all the scenarios that I have worked up on this, I am the newest variable.  You’ve even said it yourself that I am not there.  I can’t think of any conceivable reason that I wouldn’t be there if I am here now.  I wouldn’t abandon Regina.  I wouldn’t abandon you,” Will stated.

“I know that, but I don’t know why you aren’t there.  You just aren’t.  I can’t explain something that I don’t know.  I was barely five when it happened.  I don’t even know if my memories of that day are true or not.  Everything that I know and understand is based on that one event.  I can’t change that.  I don’t know how except to stop the Blackness.”

“So we stop the Blackness, we stop our deaths.  We stop our deaths we stop you from coming here.  We stop you from coming here we get to raise you from a child until you’re an adult?” Emma asked trying to make sense of everything.

“That is the long and short of it,” Coraline replied.

Regina held onto her tighter.  Coraline wrapped her hands around Regina’s waist.  She held on to her like she was going to drown if she let go.  There was something so childlike and innocent with her movements that Emma couldn’t help but see.  Their daughter was hurting and there didn’t seem to be away to stop it. 

Regina has poked around in her head and found out more than she really wanted to know.  It was a possibility that they knew, but they needed more information to stop the Blackness.  They didn’t believe that they had been wasting time in not knowing, but now, Emma wasn’t so sure.  They had been trying to know their daughter, live as a family and explore relationships.  All the while, Coraline had been going through a personal hell in her mind trying to unravel how she was so damn important to the Blackness.  She needed to know what was so special about herself.

“It isn’t you, Coraline,” Emma stated when she came to the conclusion about why Coraline was so upset about all of this. 

She raised her head and looked at Emma like she had four heads.  Will stopped her miniature pacing and stared at Emma after her comment.  Regina turned her gaze at Emma.

“What?” Coraline asked her looking eyes with her other mother’s.

“This isn’t your fault.  None of this is your fault.  You were just a child.  You aren’t the cause of it.  You need to stop blaming yourself for this,” Emma told her.

Her brown eyes fixed on her mother’s green.  There was a small war of wills before Coraline began to cry.  She wasn’t sure what else to do.  What she was doing didn’t seem to be working, maybe she needed her mother’s full help after all.

“You aren’t to blame.  You’ve done nothing wrong.  Everything that you have ever done from the day you were put on Red’s back has been to protect us.  We failed you.  I failed you.  But, no more, from now on everything that we do is to help you and fight the Blackness.  We don’t have time for petty bullshit.  We don’t have time for rivalries.  We need to talk to Snow and tell her everything…well, enough to let her know that we need a town meeting.  We need her backing if we are going to do this.  We need to let the people know.  They might be able to help.”

“She has a point,” Will replied.

Regina and Coraline looked at them.  Regina knew that she was right.  Coraline had been keeping information because she was afraid of letting them know too much too soon, but it seemed with Rumple’s apparent lack of sanity that this was no longer a luxury.  They needed to act and they needed to act fast.

“Go to Snow, Emma.  Tell her what is going on.  Bring them here.  Will go with her.  I’ll keep Coraline with the fairies as we find a way to bind Rumple.  There has to be something that we can do to stop him.  He is the biggest liability, now.”

“I’ll help with that,” Belle stated joining them.

“Are you sure that you can do that, Bookworm?” Regina asked her.

“At this point, I don’t have any choice.  He is going to destroy us.  Either we stop him or everyone dies.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want that on my conscience,” Belle replied.

“Neither do I,” Coraline added, standing up and wiping her eyes.

The fierce determination that was set there reminded Regina of Emma.  She smiled at her daughter as she headed further into the vault and to where the fairies were.  Regina walked over to Emma and gave her a brief kiss before she followed Coraline.  Belle smiled.

“Be careful, Emma.  I don’t know what he is capable of right now.  He wants me back and he will probably stop at nothing to get me back.  I know that you and Regina are trying to protect me, but if it comes to the point where I have to go back to him to save everyone, I will.”

“It won’t come to that,” Will told her.

“And, how do you know that?” Belle questioned her.

“Because I’ll kill him first,” Will answered and left the room, heading up to the crypt part of the vault, leaving Belle and Emma to stare after her.

 

Rumple laughed manically as he passed through the force field to get to the abbey.  He hadn’t actually expected to get through so easily but he figured that he’d wasted enough time, energy and magic on it that it just finally gave way.  He stomped his way through the rest of the forest until he was at the road that led to the abbey.  He stopped there and sniffed the air.  It was rife with magic and it wasn’t his.

“Ah, Regina, dearie, what fun have you left for me here?” he asked the night.

He smiled as he crossed the roadway.  There was another barrier between him and the abbey.  His smiled dropped.  He realized that the outer barrier was more of a warning system.  This barrier was going to be harder to get through.  He’d taught her too well.

He ran his hand across this new barrier.  It wasn’t like the first one.  It was different and not as…he couldn’t quite describe it.  It seemed to be from blended magic.  He didn’t know if he could actually get through it because of that.  He touched it again, poking his finger through it.  He was amazed it would allow him to poke it, probe it, but he couldn’t push completely through it.  It was fluid and solid.  It was a paradox to him.

“I wonder,” he thought aloud as he bent down.

He knelt in front of it.  He dug a small hole in the earth just at its base.  He watched the hole and waited.  When the barrier didn’t fill it immediately, he grinned.

“It can’t be that easy,” he said.

Just as he pushed his hand under the barrier through the hole, the barrier changed and dropped into the hole.  His hand burned as he pulled it back out.  He stared at the marred and burnt flesh.  He sat down and stared at the barrier. 

“Well, that was surprising.  But, this…this wasn’t Regina.  This wasn’t Emma either.  She’s not prepared for something like this.  Could the fairies be more magical than I thought?” he wondered.

He poked at the barrier again.  His finger sank in but didn’t go all the way through.  When he pulled it back out, it wasn’t burnt.  It was fine.  So it had some resistance but if he broke through it would hurt him.  He stared at the barrier. 

“This is the work of that Vulcannonian…” he hissed.

But, it wasn’t.  This barrier was the combined knowledge of Regina, the fairies, and Emma.  Will actually just help Coraline cast it.  She was the only one with enough power and mixed sides to pull from to make such a complete barrier as Rumple was testing.

“She has to have magic of some sort.  She escaped the plague set upon her people.  She’s here now.  I know that I sent her to this world, but there is something else about her.  There is something that she is hiding.  It can’t be good.”

He raised his hands to the barrier.  He started pumping magic into it.  He couldn’t let something like this stop him.  He kept his mind focused and let his magic flow.  The green flashes coming from his hands kept lighting up the night.  He steadied himself and kept pushing the energy towards the barrier, hoping that he could create a big enough hole for him to fit through.

“I will have what I need tonight,” he swore but didn’t relent.

 

Will and Emma stood outside Snow and Charming’s home.  Emma sighed.  She hated coming to her parents for help and Will could tell.  But, they were from Fairy Tale Land.  They understood things on another level that Emma couldn’t.  They had a unique upbringing.  They could help and Emma knew that, but she just wished that she didn’t need the help.

“Still trying to do things on your own, Emma?” Will asked her, feeling her thoughts.

“I am adult and I am still going to my parents for help.  I should be able to figure this out with Regina’s help.  I shouldn’t have to go running to Snow every time something major happens.”

“Welcome to being magical,” Will replied sarcastically.

“Would you go to your parents for help?” Emma asked.

“If I still had them, in a heartbeat.  My father had a unique mentality and my mother was part Wolf.  They were perfect for each other and they taught me a lot.  I understand family values on a completely different level than anyone else besides Ruby.”

“The pack mentality?”

“Something like that, yes, but it was different.  My family was an entire people.  We did everything for the betterment of our lives and for our realm.  Serving your mother and then Regina was a way for me to learn and thrive.  It wasn’t a punishment.  It was politics, but not in the manner you are thinking.”

“What then?” Emma asked her.

“Pyroxes was looking for my husband.  By putting me in Regina’s Court, he put me on display.  Men who would dare try to court me would know who and what I was before they would petition my father.  Unfortunately for him, it didn’t work out like he’d hoped,” Will told her.

“I see,” Emma replied finally knocking on the door.

Snow answered it immediately.  She looked them up and down before motioning them into the house.  The door had barely closed before she started questioning them.

“What happened?” she inquired with a small crook of her head.

“What makes you think that something happened?” Emma asked her trying to deflect.

“Emma…”

“Rumple is causing trouble,” Will said matter-of-factly.

“What do you need us to do?” Snow asked them.

Emma walked around the living room before sitting down.  Her head fell into her hands and she looked over at Will, who had a grin on her face.  Snow sat down in the EZ chair and stared at both of them.  The look that she was giving Emma and Emma still hiding behind her eyes just caused Will to actually laugh at both of them.  All that made Emma do was stare down her friend as her mother looked at both of them perplexed by the levity between them.

“I’m sorry,” Will replied.

“So, you want to tell me what’s going on?”

“It seems that Rumple wants to cause some trouble.  He has found a way to open a portal back to the Enchanted Forest.  The only problem with that is that he doesn’t have all the ingredients he needs.  He seems to think that the fairies have what he needs,” Will told her.

“Do they?”

“We don’t know exactly,” Emma stated.

“So, why are you here?”

“We need you to organize the militia,” Will answered.

“The militia?”

“We do have one, right?  I mean the dwarves all seem to show up when there is a problem.  Please tell me that there are more than just those seven,” Emma said.

“I guess we do.  I am not sure.  I mean we really haven’t been fully under attack before and when we did, we all just took care of it.  Why do I have a feeling that this fight is going to be on many fronts?” Snow asked them.

“It will.  Right now, we have Rumple contained.”

“Contained?” Snow questioned.

“He is trying to battle several barriers that we have erected around the fairies’ abbey.  It will take him quite a while to get through them.  While he is trying that, we need to form some groups and take care of business in case he does manage to get what he needs.”

“And if he does manage to get what he needs?” Snow inquired.

“Then we will have to deal with that when the time comes.  We aren’t sure why he wants to go back but we assume it is due to magic.  According to what we do know right now is he wants to open a portal there.  What he wants there is another mystery?  But, Belle seems to think that he is trying to find a way to win her back or find a way to change what has happened.  We don’t know if this stems from Will and Coraline’s arrival, but it has become a logical conclusion.”

“Rumple and I don’t exactly have a stellar relationship.  I have reason to believe that he might want me dead or worse.  He can’t be trusted around me.  I’ll need to stay in the background and still be able to fight.  There are things that he has done to me and my people that cannot be forgiven and won’t be forgiven,” Will explained.

“Do I want to know?” Snow asked, regarding her old friend and body guard.

“No, Princess, you don’t,” Will answered her. 

There was a silence between them.  Emma wasn’t sure what to do now.  She’d come to her mother for help and now, she was lost as to what was going on between them.  Will and Snow just stared at each for a moment.  There was no battle of wills between them.  It was a silent conversation between two royals plotting the next move in the gambit with Rumple.  It was also a silent acknowledgement that Regina and Emma would be leading this campaign and that they would need Snow’s backing.  It hadn’t been said, but even Snow understood why Will was there with Emma and not Regina.  With a slight nod that only Will saw, Snow acquiesced and agreed.

“What do you need me to do?” Snow finally asked breaking their silence.

“Gather as many of your leaders as you have.  I’ll contact you and let you know what we need.  They need to be on stand-by.  We need to know that we can defend the town from whatever he decides to bring back with him or conjure once he comes back.  He is the loose end.”

“I’ll get David on that while he is on his rounds tonight.  Can I ask what you two are going to do?  What other preparations are being made?” Snow questioned.

“Regina and Coraline are trying to work on a timeline.  Once that is settled, we will start prepping for the future.  We now that the Blackness is coming but we aren’t exactly sure when and now that we know more about what is to come, Regina and I aren’t sure that we aren’t changing the timeline that Coraline originally gave us.”

“Are her memories changing?” Snow inquired.

“Mine didn’t,” Emma stated.

“True, but if hers are, it might mean that we are changing things.”

“That is the crazy thing about time travel.  We just don’t know.  Like Emma had the book as a reference and she saw the changes in the book as they were happening.  We are trying to get the journals that Coraline has from Regina.  Belle and Red are going to read them and plot the main events in them versus the time line that Regina and Coraline come up with.  Right now, it all we have.  But, Regina, Emma, and I agree that we can’t leave the town unprotected.”

“I agree.  I’ll get with the dwarves and other militia leaders in the morning.  We should meet somewhere so that we can discuss training and the sort.  We can let ourselves be defenseless.  It has been over thirty years for some of us.  Some things come back, others need to be taught.”

“I’ll be setting up some sort of school.  Don’t worry, Snow; Emma will be my first pupil.  She, Coraline and Henry.  I still serve this family.  I will not let it fail.  I can’t.”

Emma heard the conviction in her voice.  She knew that Will meant it.  She was going to find a way to make sure that they all survived this craziness even if it meant her own death.  Somehow, some way, Emma, Henry, Regina, Coraline…all of them would survive what was coming. 

“Go back to Regina.  Tell her we’re in.  Call or text me later and let me know where to meet in the morning.  I’ll go out on patrol with David tonight.  We’ll alert everyone.”

“What about Neal?” Emma asked, worried about her little brother.

“I’ll send him to Granny’s.  He’ll be safe there.  She won’t let anything harm him.”

That seemed to calm Emma down enough that she was willing to leave.  She still hated the fact that after several years in Storybrooke, most of them as mayor, that she still needed her parents help in order to save the town.  She was the Savior and she didn’t know squat about living in the Enchanted Forest.  The town still functioned like it would as a real town in this world, but the people still rallied like the townsfolk of fairy tales.  Maybe it was because they were all from fairy tales, but for Emma it just seemed like there was more to it. That she was just missing something that she would never really get because she had been raised here instead of there.

“Let it go,” Will told her as they walked out of the house.

“Let what go?” Emma asked confused by her words.

“The burning need to understand everything.  It will crush you.  Right now, you need a clear head.  You need to know what you are fight against and what you are fighting for.  Can you tell me that?  Can you answer that for me?” Will asked her.

“I’m fighting for my family and their happy endings.  I am fighting to keep the peace in this madness.  Hell, for all I know, I’m fighting against the birth of the Blackness.”

“Then, forget everything else and worry about those things.  Spend time with your family.  Love them.  Spend time with Regina.  Love her.  Help us look through the books and tomes about magic.  Let everything else go.  It doesn’t matter in this fight.  If you can’t, it will bog you down and hold you back in our fight.  I need to know that on the field of battle, when the time comes, I can trust that you will have my back with no hesitation,” Will told her.

“I will.”

“Then, there is nothing else for us to worry about tonight.  We need to get back.  We need to make sure that Rumple can’t get what he needs,” Will stated as they crossed town back to the cemetery and back to Regina’s family vault.

 

Across town at the abbey, Rumple was still pacing.  He had spent himself pumping magic into the barrier only for it to absorb it.  He was stumped, and he didn’t like it.  He stepped back and sat down on a stump.  He stared at the abbey and wondered.

“They had to know by now that I made it through the first barrier.  What are they doing in there?  Are they even still in there?” he wondered aloud.

He hadn’t seen anyone leave.  Emma’s yellow bug was still outside parked in the small parking lot.  There were a few other cars there too.  Mostly he believed that they belonged to the fairies.  He could see that the lights were on, but he couldn’t hear any noises coming from within.  He figured that it had to do with the slight hum that the barrier was giving off, but he wasn’t sure.

He laughed at himself for a moment.  He thought that this was all just a distraction for him, but why?  That is what bothered him.  Why would they be distracting him?  They must have what he needed and it had to be inside the abbey.  There was no other answer.  If the barrier was keeping him out, then it must be keeping them in.  He couldn’t see any other way around that. 

“I will get inside.  I will get what I need.  I will get that portal open,” he yelled at the barrier.

It hummed back in response.  There was nothing else that he could do.  He sat there and stared at it.  Suddenly, he decided that he needed to know what happened.  He needed to know if he did get through the barrier and get what he needed.  He had been so clouded that he forgot to check the future and see if he got what he wanted.  He knew that when he did that, that it could be one of many possible outcomes, but nine out of ten times what he saw happen happened.

He raised his hands and let float through the air.  He felt the tingle of magic in his fingertips.  He knew that he didn’t have to go too far into the future, just enough to see if he got the portal open.  Images flashed before his eyes as he closed them and let the magic do its work.  Thousands of scenes played out before his eyes and all he had to was find the right time, the right event and he would know everything that he wanted to know for now.

He tried to focus but things kept evading him as they shifted over and over again.  He couldn’t lock on to anything in the near future because too many decisions were happening right now that was affecting it.  He needed to look further, but he wasn’t sure how far to go.  If he looked too far, he might not get the answers he was seeking.  Finally he saw a baby Coraline with Regina and Emma.  He decided to stop there.

_“Is your mother ready for this?” Regina asked her._

_“Is any mother ready to do this?” Emma countered._

_“No, I guess not.  But, she is a Queen.  She can’t let the grief overpower her.  She needs to hold her head high and still lead our people,” Regina told her._

_“When you know how to tell her how to do that, let me know.  Until then, we will support her in everything.  We will not the Kingdoms fall.  David will rule in her place if needed.”_

_“Or you could,” Regina suggested._

_Emma just stared at her.  She couldn’t believe that Regina would suggest such…but then, again, she could.  She was the heir to their throne, but they had already named Neal to it, seeing that Regina and Emma had their own._

_“I have our kingdom to deal with.  I won’t take over just because my brother died.  There has to be another way.  We just have to help her through this.  I am not giving up on them.”_

_Regina nodded.  She understood where Emma was coming from.  They had their own problems to deal with.  They could take on Snow’s kingdom and rule both, but the agreements had been made.  She wouldn’t push the boundaries._

_“What about Henry?”_

_“What about Henry?” Emma countered._

_“He is the next heir for both kingdoms.”_

_“He is.”_

_“He could help them,” Regina offered._

_“Do you think that Snow would let him be Prince Regent?”_

_“We could ask.  We could just offer.  Henry is a good boy.  He is of age.  I know that it isn’t ideal, but your mother’s kingdom has to know that it has a successor.  If not…”_

_“Plays for the throne will happen.”_

_“And if they do…”_

_“I’ll have to go to war to protect a throne I really don’t want.”_

_“Exactly,” Regina agreed, having already known Emma’s position on the matter._

_“It will come better coming from me,” Emma mused, knowing that Snow wouldn’t care._

_“I know.”_

_“We should talk to Henry,” Emma added, trying to push her thoughts passed her grief._

_“We should.”_

_“Later,” Emma stated, still holding herself up as Regina could feel her grief consuming her._

_“Tonight, then,” Regina replied._

_“I’ll talk to Mom in a few days.  She needs time to grieve.  I will not take that from her.”_

_“Agreed,” Regina replied, taking Emma into her arms and holding her._

_“Regina?”_

_“Yes, Dear?” Regina asked her._

_“Never stop loving me.”_

_“I won’t, Dear.  I promised you that.  Until death and beyond, Emma.  I will love you always.”_

The vision vanished and he was standing.  He didn’t get the answers that he wanted, but he got some answers.  The young Prince Neal dies and leaves Snow without an apparent heir.  Emma was still denying her royal blood and birth right.  They were going to offer Henry up as an heir.  There seemed to be two kingdoms that were living in harmony.  This meant that they were back in the Enchanted Forest.  He took that to mean that he finally gets his portal open and in doing so gets what he needs to force them back to the Enchanted Forest. 

He knew that it meant that he got his powers back fully and full strength.  He was happy.  He would get his Belle back.  He would get his love and with his love he would find his way to getting his family back.  That was his end game: his family.

 

Through the forest, things were happening.  Things that no one could predict.  No one would know what was happening until the morning and by then it would be too late.  There would be only so many things that they could do when they woke up.  The magic was flowing all around and pooling towards the old well, tucked back and forgotten for the evening.

The well was sucking in power from the forest and creatures that its new reach could get to.  Rumple had opened a gate, but to what, only the magic knew.  It pulled and fueled itself on the small amounts of natural magic that the trees and other wildlife in the area.  When the well had enough magic, it mixed the magic it was drawing from this world with the magic it possessed from the Enchanted Forest. 

The faint green glow of the well got brighter and brighter with each moment and each new amount of magic that it drew in.  The well having no consciousness of its own was at the mercy of the last spell that it was given.  This time it wasn’t True Love.  This time it wasn’t trying to bring magic out of the natural world here and give the enchanted creatures of the Enchanted Forest back their magic.  No, this time it was only half way ready to open a portal to the Enchanted Forest.  But, as the magic grew and the light grew, the pool swirled and swirled with the words of the Rumple’s spell echoing off the stones into the magic.

The spell mixed with the magic to create a strange casting, not quite complete, but not quite incomplete either.  As the magic swirled inside the well, a portal opened.  Daylight began to show through the churning magic.  A world beyond the well started to come into focus.


	33. Chapter 33

Regina and Coraline continued to stare at each other.  They had said so much and so little in the last few hours that they didn’t know what else to say.  Being back at the house with the fairies, Belle and Red didn’t help ease either of their minds.  Things had been tense with them since Regina learned who Coraline was, but it just became worse when she found out that she was the Black Queen in the future.  She didn’t know how to make amends for that.  She was just trying to prove to Coraline that she did want her, that she did want to be her mother and that she did love her only to have that entire situation turned on her with one memory.

“You aren’t your mother,” Red told her.

“I know that,” Regina replied.

“Then stop with the self-pity.  The future sucks.  We know this.  What we do now helps us either stop it or be better prepared for it.  That is what Coraline wants.  That is why you sent her back.”

“I know that,” Regina said.

“Then stop worrying about how she looks at you.  She loves you.  She wouldn’t be here if she didn’t.  The five years that you had together when she was a child were enough for her to never give up on you and she didn’t.  You saw that in her memory.  She was willing to take torture in order to protect you,” Red explained.

“How do you figure that?”

“She went looking for you, didn’t she?  She got captured and for sixty days and nights she was silent about whom she really was.  She endured every punishment that the Black Queen did to her and for what?  Love…she refused to believe that you were dead.  She refused to give up on you because she understood your power and your prowess on a base level, Regina.  She is your child and she could feel you in some way.  She was drawn to you.”

“And, that almost got her killed,” Regina replied.

“No, it brought her back to her mother.  The Black Queen tortured her, yes.  But, it was her mother, her precious Regina, that broke free from the confines on the unnatural Blackness, that fought through the pain and suffering she was already dealing with in order to show her true face and not the mask of the Black Queen to her daughter.  In that moment, you gave her something fierce.  HOPE.  You helped her believe that she was making a difference and that she could make a difference.  You gave her back the power to stop the Blackness.”

“You really did all that with just a few words, Mom,” Coraline told her.

Regina didn’t know what to do.  She was at a loss for words.  She understood darkness.  She understood pain and suffering.  She understood hatred.  She couldn’t understand the love and the hope that they were trying to share with her.  That was Emma’s department.  When things got rough, she returned to the darkness because it was easy and she knew it.  She couldn’t understand how she could allow herself to become the manifestation of the Blackness.  She couldn’t understand how they could be so forgiving of that.

“Yes, the Queen tortured me.  Yes, she hurt me.  But, you know what she didn’t do?”

“What?” Regina asked, turning to face Coraline.

“She never successfully killed my Mom.”

Coraline knew that Regina would be upset by the memory.  She knew that it would take Regina a while to understand and come to grips with it, but she never imagined that she would take it this hard.  She didn’t expect the woman that she revered to be almost completely broken by it.

“Mom, you can’t let it get to you.  You know what it is coming.  You know what is going to happen now.  You can try and stop it.  Do I think that Rumple with find a way to open his damn portal?  Yes, I do.  Do I think that he is the reason that everyone gets sucked back to the Enchanted Forest?  Yes, I do.  Do I think that you and Ma can defeat him and the Blackness?  I know that you can, because you have always told me that knowledge is power.  I am giving you the power before the Blackness comes into power.  I am giving you the answers before the questions are even asked.  Do I know if it will work?  No, I don’t.  I can only hope that by giving you everything that I can now, here, and you prepare for what is to come that I grow up with both of my mothers, happily, and with the rest of my family.  I can only hope that everything works out.  I can’t sit here, thinking about things that I can’t anticipate because honestly, I don’t know what I am changing and what I’m not.  I can only hope that I am making things better.”

“How did you get so smart, Darling?”

“I had four of the best teachers,” Coraline told her with a smirk.  “It isn’t my fault that they are the four biggest bad asses in the kingdoms.  I couldn’t have asked for a better family, Mom.”

“I must have done something right with you,” Regina stated as she gathered her into a fierce bodily hug, willing it to be enough for both of them for now, but knowing it wasn’t.

Will and Emma came into the house.  Emma saw the hugging and joined in.  Coraline took it willingly.  She knew that Emma wasn’t the most affectionate due to her upbringing, but when things hit her, Emma was a fiercely emotional person. 

“What’s wrong, Kid?”

“Nothing, Ma.  Just trying to convince, Mom that everything would work out okay.  She seems to lack the confidence in the family,” Coraline replied, smiling at them both.

“I know,” Emma replied with a smirk.  “She seems to always forget that Charmings have a nasty habit of winning.  Guess we are just going to have to prove that to her, aren’t we?”

“I guess we are, Ma,” Coraline stated, smirking just like Emma at Regina.

“Oh, stop it, both of you.  I refuse to be a Charming.  I end up marrying one and having one, but I refuse to be one,” Regina said.

“And, I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Emma told her before kissing her thoroughly.

“You know, your PDA should bother me, but it doesn’t,” Coraline added.  “It makes me happy.  Because when I see you two together like this, I know that we will win.  I know that we will find a way to defeat it.  Because after everything that I have been through, after everything that I have been taught, one thing always remains the same.”

“Yeah, and what’s that?” Red asked her already guessing at the answer.

“Love conquers all,” Coraline replied with a huge grin.

“Blasted Charming hope,” Regina muttered.

“But, you like it,” Emma told her.

“I do, but I am tired.  We should sleep.  I don’t think that Rumple with get through the second barrier tonight.  We have some time to figure out what he is really up to and what he needs.  We should get some sleep.”

“I agree.  We erected barriers around town.  We’ll know if something happens,” Emma added.

Regina looked at her and then Will.  She wasn’t surprised about the extra barriers being put up, she was just wondering when they found the time.  She knew that Will would protect them all with every available resource that she had.

“I am going to relieve David.  He needs to be with Snow tonight.  I’ll take the patrol.  Emma, you stay here with Regina and Coraline.  Red, you should take Belle back with you to Granny’s.  And, tell her not worry about Neal.  Snow and David deserve their time alone tonight.  Gods know when we will have peace again.  Go to bed, all of you.  I’ll see you in the morning,” Will commanded them like she would any of her subjects or subordinates.

Regina smiled at her and nodded in agreement.  She pushed Emma towards the stairs.  Tonight they were safe and they would celebrate that however they could in this peace of the night, because they had no idea what the morning would bring.

“Don’t worry, Emma.  I’ll make sure that Red and Belle make it back.  Now, go upstairs and love your woman.  Things are going to get nasty soon and she’ll need tonight to hold on.  She’ll need your light to help her find her way back from the darkness that she’ll embrace to protect this family.  Take care of her and I will make sure that you are all safe,” Will explained to her.

Emma nodded.  She smiled at her friend.  She could feel the conviction in her words.  She knew that she needed to hear it, too.  Will would protect them while they slept.  Will would protect them period.  It took some of the weight off of her shoulders as the Savior, but it didn’t take it completely.  She thanked Will silently as she ushered Regina upstairs. 

Coraline stayed behind for a moment.  She wanted to spend as long as she could with Will.  They both knew that Regina wouldn’t be happy about it, but they couldn’t resist each other.  The pull was too great and somehow they both knew that Emma knew that too.  She was silently cheering them both on, while still supporting Regina’s worry about their futures together.

“I don’t want you to go,” Coraline told her.

“I’ll be fine.”

“I would rather you stay here.”

“I understand that, love, but I have to protect this family.  I want to stay with you.  Gods, do I want to stay with you, Coraline.  But, I owe a debt to your mother and until I pay it, I will not be free of the contract.  You need to let me do this.  We will be together.  I promise.  But, for now, let me do this.  Let me save your family from Rumple and earn the right to be by your side.”

“And, Mom worries about my Charming blood,” Coraline said.  “I think she needs to check yours.  Be careful and come back to me.  I’ve had enough devastation in my life.  I don’t want to lose you, too.  Promise me that you’ll come back here in the morning.”

“I will be here after breakfast.  We will make more plans on how to fight this.  I will always come for you, Coraline.  I will protect you,” Will swore to her.

“Now, go, before I change my mind and drag upstairs,” Coraline threatened.

“As you wish, my fair princess,” Will replied and bowed in salute to her.

“Just go,” Coraline replied before she climbed the stair case.

When she turned around she saw Red and Belle staring at her in awe.  She didn’t know how long she had been there, but she knew that it had been long enough by the way that Red was eyeing her.  It was that look alone that she knew why Regina always kept Red nearby, just in case.

“Shall we go?” Will asked them, opening the front door.

 

Emma closed the door behind herself.  She watched as Regina sat down on the bed and stared off towards the in suite bathroom.  She didn’t know what to say to her that he hadn’t already said.  Regina was beautiful, but she was worried.  Emma knew that she just needed to be there for her tonight.  Tomorrow was going to be a difficult day for everyone.  The preparations for a war they weren’t sure they were even going to have to fight would start.

“Emma?”

“Yes, Regina.”

“Are we doing the right thing?”

“What do you mean?” Emma questioned.

“Should we even be thinking about having a family?” Regina asked her.

“Coraline is proof that we have a family beyond what we have now.  Are you saying that you don’t want more children?  Do you think that if we don’t have her that it will stop the Blackness from coming?  What are you really asking me, here?”

“I don’t know.  I feel helpless.  I don’t like not knowing what we are going to be fighting.  I want to have a plan.  I want to have a winning strategy.  I feel like we are fighting a losing battle.”

“We aren’t fighting a losing battle.  We are fighting to save our family.  We know what is coming if we don’t do anything to stop it.  We don’t know what our preparation will do for Coraline’s future, but we have to try.  We can’t just give up.  That is what the Blackness wants.”

“But, Coraline grows up without us.”

“She did, but she may not now.  We don’t know, Regina.  We just don’t know.  But, I am not willing to bet against us.  Are you?  Are you willing to give up?  Are you will to do nothing?”

“No.”

“Then, remember what I tell you every day,” Emma instructed her.

“And, what’s that?”

“We will defeat this.  We will succeed.  We will win,” Emma told her.

“Thank you.”

“I will always remind you, Regina,” Emma told her, taking her into her arms.

Regina melted into her.  She couldn’t help herself.  She was thankful, but she would never tell Snow or David, that she was a Charming.  Emma kept her grounded and in love.

She leaned further into Emma and kissed her.  Emma just smiled into the kiss, knowing that Regina would never admit to anyone that she was happy with Emma’s “Charming” side.  She felt Regina deepening the kiss, needing the closeness of her, and the love that only Emma could give her.  Both of them needed each other and they both knew that this would test not only their relationship but their resolve.

“Regina…”

“What?” she asked slightly annoyed that Emma stopped kissing her.

“We should sleep.”

“I don’t want to sleep.”

“I know you don’t, but we need our energy.”

“I need to feel you more than I need to be refreshed in the morning,” Regina told her, tearing Emma’s shirt off and over her head.

“Regina, baby…please,” Emma tried to reason with her.

Regina wasn’t hearing it.  She needed to touch Emma.  She needed to feel her.  She needed the power that their love could make.  She needed the closeness and the intimacy to quell her fears.

Her hands were all over her bare skin.  She couldn’t help herself.  She loved the way her tan hands looked against Emma’s alabaster skin.  The contrast was so striking sometimes that she could just stare at it for hours and revel in the woman beneath her.

“Regina…” Emma tried again as Regina pushed her down on the bed.

She climbed up onto the bed and straddled Emma’s lap.  She looked down into her viridian eyes and smiled.  That smile broke Emma’s resolve to stop her and Regina knew it.  Emma’s hands were suddenly on her blouse, loosening buttons and pushing it away.  Regina marveled in Emma’s touch and her want.  As her blouse was hitting the floor, Regina bent over to kiss Emma again.  When their lips touched, Emma moved just enough to reverse their positions and put Regina on her back.

Regina deepened the kiss.  She thrust her tongue into Emma’s mouth.  Emma welcomed the intrusion and massaged her tongue with her own.  Regina moaned into the kiss.  She started raising her hands up Emma’s side.  Suddenly the need to touch Emma’s skin overwhelmed her.

“Emma…”

“What, Baby?”

“I need to feel you against me.”

Emma didn’t need to hear more.  She pulled Regina into her.  Slowly she undressed her and then herself.  She wanted Regina so badly, but she knew that they should just hold each other.  She tried to maintain some control of the situation.  Regina has other ideas though.

She continued to kiss Emma.  She let Emma undress her, but it still wasn’t enough.  She needed Emma.  She needed to be with her.  It was the only thing that would calm her tonight.  She needed to feel something other than the despair that seeing the future had caused.

“Emma…”

“What, Baby?” Emma asked her.

Regina kissed her neck.  She started from just under her ear and started working her way down towards her shoulder.  She didn’t let up.  She nipped and sucked there as she kissed her there.

“Regina…”

“Not now, Emma.  I want you and I mean to have you, tonight.  So either, you lay back and enjoy it or help me.  I know you want this as much as I do,” Regina told her, still kissing her.

“Regina…”

“Are you really going to argue with me right now?” Regina asked her working her way further down her neck and her shoulders.

“No…”

“Good Swan,” Regina commented as she worked her lips across her clavicles and towards her breasts.

Not to be outdone, Emma came to her senses and decided to join in the fun.  She ran her arms down Regina’s back and stopped at her ass.  She grabbed a cheek with each hand and pulled her closer.  Their bodies melded to each other. 

Regina didn’t stop.  She kept kissing Emma only stopping to suckle on her breast. She nipped slightly at the hardened nipple and gently sucked it.  After each bite, she would suck and kiss to ease the pain.  Emma never complained.  She just dug her fingers deeper into Regina’s ass. 

“Emma?”

“Yes, my love?” Emma replied.

“Do you think that…”

“Do I think that what?”

“Should we…”

“I love you,” Emma told her.

It was enough to stop her thoughts.  Her body moved against Emma’s.  She moved back up to her face and kissed her hard.  Emma thrust her tongue into Regina’s mouth.  She needed her to know how much she loved her.  She needed to make Regina understand. 

She felt Regina’s hands moving down her side.  They moved from her hips up to her shoulders.  She cupped Emma’s face as she deepened the kiss some more.  Their bodies slid over each other.  Emma slowly rolled them over and eased Regina onto her back.  Once Regina was on her back, she stared up into Emma’s green eyes.  She could see Emma’s love shining for her.  Then she felt it against her.  She reached down and touched Emma.

“Emma…”

“Regina…” she breathed out as Emma touched her again.

“Please…”

“Are you sure?”

“It is proof that we are meant to be, Emma.  I can’t fight the magic between us.  You shouldn’t either.  I love you.  You love me,” Regina told her.

She dug her hands into Emma’s shoulders and brought her closer.  Feeling her align with her body, Regina took her.  Emma couldn’t believe how much she loved Regina, but every time they came together, she knew how much Regina loved her in return.  She didn’t know what it meant for her to develop such feelings and such magical connection. 

“I love you, Regina,” Emma said as they came together.

Magic flowed between them.  They always had peace when they were together like that.  When they were together, in each other’s arms, breathing each other’s breath, and loving each other completely, they found the missing piece of their soul in each other.  Together they were whole.

 

Coraline dug through her things.  She found her old tunic that was buried.  She pulled it out to air it out.  So many days it had remained buried in that bag, hidden in the back of the cell, torn and mutilated by the Black Queen’s hands.  She stared at it as it lay on the bed that Regina told her was her own and that she could have as long as she was in Storybrooke.  The tunic was the only way that she could keep the memory of them alive once they were dead.

Belle made it for her out of tunics that Red had found while searching for Regina.  She didn’t know why Red could never give up on her.  She didn’t understand it until she saw the look in Regina’s eyes as she fought for what little bit of control she could take back from the Black Queen.  She saw the light in her mother’s eyes again.  She saw the hope that Emma gave her reborn as she helped her find her way back into the past to help them save themselves.

That tunic meant more to her than she ever realized.  It was a piece of her past, literally, but it was also a banner of hope that she could change her future.  She could help her family get the destiny it deserved.  They would finally all get their happy endings.  Coraline would find a way to make sure that she helped them find a way to stay alive and keep the family together.  That was her one wish and somehow Regina had given her the power to do it.  She wouldn’t fail.

 

Red paced in her apartment.  Belle watched her.  She knew that her Wolf was itching to get out but she couldn’t figure out why she was so riled up.  She knew that Rumple had always rankled her, but there was something else behind it.  She seemed angrier than normal.

“Will you sit?” Belle asked her.

“I don’t know that I can.”

“Why not?”

“He’s out there.  He’s doing something and we don’t know what.  He has pushed us all so much.  This time it is too much.  This time he has finally gone too far.  His power and position can’t help him,” Ruby told her.

“Red, you can’t challenge him.  He will destroy you.  Let Will deal with it.  She is the only one that is strong enough to fight him and survive it.  Regina will protect us while Will does what she does.  I know that you can’t don’t want to back down from this fight.  I know that you want to be out there leading the charge into the fray like you have in the past.  This time you can’t.  You have to step back and let someone else take charge.”

“You don’t know what that is like.  I am fighter.  I always have been.  But, now…”

“You feel helpless?”

“Yes, I am an Alpha and I can’t protect the pack.  I am having to relegate that duty to my Beta.  I am having to step back and wait.  I don’t wait, Belle.  You know that.  I attacked guards at Regina’s castles before Snow ever gave the order.  I made ways for us to get in with the least amount of resistance.  Snow never asked me to do it.  Charming didn’t know how to give orders, yet.  I was second in command to Snow and I always did my own thing.  How can I trust that Will will be able to handle this on her own?” Red asked her.

“Because Regina has asked you to” Belle stated.

“How can she ask that of me?”

“Because she is not only your sister, but you have admitted that since Snow and she have come to grips with their past that she is a queen that you would follow.  She’s asked you to refrain from attacking him because she cares for you and she needs you to help her protect her family.  She needs you to survive for Coraline if for no other reason.  She loves that girl and she will do anything for her.  You’ve seen it with Henry and from Coraline has told us we have no reason to doubt that she won’t do it again for her,” Belle explained.

“Why now?  Why wouldn’t she have asked me before this?  What is so important?”

“Coraline,” Belle answered quickly.

“She’s changed hasn’t she?”

“Who?”

“Regina.  She’s changed since Coraline has gotten her.  She’s stopped projecting her anger as much.  She’s moving forward toward an unknown that she can’t control and for what?  Her happiness?  A bleak future?  How can she just give up everything like that?” Red asked.

“She loves us all.  She wants what’s best for everyone.  She knows what is to come and she is doing everything within in her power to get the best outcome.”

“And, what is that?  Us raising her daughter because everyone else is dead?  How is that the best outcome?  How can she just sit back and let that happen?” Red asked, fury pouring off of her.

“Ruby…”

“NO!  I just don’t understand why she is just giving up.  She’s just letting it all go.  We should be out there fighting.  We should be doing something.”

“We are.  We are researching.  Regina and Coraline along with the fairies have created magical barriers and traps for Rumple to fall into.  I am looking into the portal that you saw.  Coraline is trying to remember and give Regina everything that she can about the Blackness.  Will is trying to strengthen the militia in preparations for the coming battles.  We don’t know if it is enough.  We may never know that.  But, all we can do is hope that we are giving ourselves the best chance in order to survive a future we already know is bleak and horrific.”

“I need to be doing something,” Ruby argued.

“Then, come sit down beside me.”

Ruby looked at her.  She couldn’t believe that we were just sitting in her apartment doing research.  She needed to run.  She needed to be free.  She needed to let the anger out.  She needed to feel something other than the hatred she had for the situation.  She needed balance and she didn’t have it.  She had nothing to hold on to but the want to please a sister and queen while still being the Alpha of a Wolf clan she didn’t know much about.    

Belle stood up and crossed the room.  She took Ruby’s hand and let her back to the bed.  She knew that they needed to sleep.  She knew that Ruby was keyed up and ready to explode.  She needed to find a way to calm her down.  She just needed to find a way to quieten the Wolf for the night.  How could she make Red stop long enough for Ruby to find some comfort tonight?

“Ruby?” she tried again.

Red’s hazel eyes flashed yellow for a brief second before finding her piercing blue.  Belle took her hands and held them with her own.  She needed to ground Ruby into the here and now.  She needed Ruby to see her, while Red could fall back for a few hours.

“You need sleep.  You need to be calm, even if it is just for a few hours.  Come lie with me.”

Red’s head snapped up.  She looked into her eyes.  There was the normal comfort that she sought.  She tried to ground herself in Belle, but she kept finding herself wanting more from her.  She knew that it was wrong.  Belle wasn’t free.  But the words that Coraline said to her in the diner just a few weeks before echoed in her head. 

“Okay,” Red replied, willing the Wolf to stay at bay.

Ruby thought about what Will had told her, too.  Her cousin had told her that Belle loved her.  Coraline had confirmed that there was a relationship between them in the future, even if she didn’t elaborate what it was completely.  She just knew that when she looked into Belle’s eyes she found peace, a calm that soothed the Wolf inside and made her want to be a better person.  That was something that she had been striving for, for years.  To see the peace and love that Belle offered her in her sky blue eyes made Red step back for Ruby, but Ruby didn’t know what to do with what she had.  She’d never thought that Belle could see her for what she was: lost.

“You don’t have to fight alone, Ruby.  We all care for you.  You don’t have to shut us out and think that you have to be strong all the time.  We all fail.  We all feel,” Belle told her.

Ruby lay on the bed and stared at her own ceiling.  She felt the bed dip beside her and knew that Belle was there.  Her body was tell her to confess, but her mind made her lay there perfectly still, hoping that her Wolf would stay at bay.  She needed to be close to Belle, but she didn’t want to frighten her away.  She was afraid of what she might do if Belle actually rejected her.

Sensing something was wrong with Ruby, Belle shifted in the bed until she was on her side looking down at her friend.  Ruby closed her eyes, clenched them tight and hid them from the world.  She could see myriad of emotions swimming across Ruby’s face.  She knew that Ruby was in torment.  She could feel it. 

For years, she knew that Ruby fought the Wolf for dominance.  Now, she was the dominant, but had the Wolf won with her acknowledgement of Alpha status?  Belle didn’t know.  Ruby liked to hide behind her darkness and find ways of repenting that made sense only to her.  She stared at the raven haired beauty and wondered what had her so wound up that she would lay in bed and refuse to sleep.  They both knew that tomorrow was going to be a rough day and they would eventually have to fight Rumple, but this was something else entirely.

“Talk to me,” Belle urged.

Ruby didn’t answer.  She turned her head so that if her eyes were open she’d be facing the wall.  Belle wasn’t going to let it go though.  She reached out and touched her chin, turning her face back to hers.  At the simple touch, Belle’s fingers burned and Ruby’s eyes flew open.  Belle didn’t gasp or turn when she that the yellow instead the hazel of her eyes.  She didn’t move when Ruby’s hand reached up to touch her own. 

“Belle…” Ruby warned her trying to calm herself and gain control of her body.

“Talk to me,” Belle stated again.

“About what?”

“Why are you so nervous?”

Ruby sucked in a breath.  Belle had to know.  Could she see it in Ruby’s eyes?  She didn’t know.  She’d never said anything.  She’d hidden like coward and loved her from afar, deciding that it was better to have her friendship than to lose Belle completely.

“Ruby?” she asked, when Ruby didn’t answer.

Ruby closed her eyes tight.  She willed herself to push the Wolf away.  She couldn’t give into the temptation just because Belle was in…on her bed.  She made her heart calm and made herself relax.  She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.  Belle saw the hazel there, but there was something more. 

Belle looked into her eyes like she was staring into Ruby’s soul and suddenly, Ruby felt very naked even though she was still completely clothed.  Belle’s hand pushed against her chin and made her face her again as she tried to turn away.  She held her gently.  When she was decided that Ruby wasn’t going to turn from her again, she slowly brushed her fingertips down the side of her face.  She watched her eyes dilate. 

“Belle…”

“What is it, Ruby?  What is it that scares you so much that you hide behind your Wolf?  What are you so afraid of?” Belle asked her.

“You…” she whispered.

 

Will had taken the cruiser from David when she sent him home.  She had to admit to herself that patrolling wasn’t what she wanted to be doing, but she knew that it was the only way she protect them at the moment.  They were all on high alert and they needed rest.  Will could go days without sleep or food and it wouldn’t phase her.  She knew that they couldn’t.  She would take up the nightly patrols until Rumple was found and dealt with.  She just hoped that was proving herself to Regina.

She knew that Coraline didn’t understand their dynamic but she knew that Coraline respected them both to let them figure it out.  It hadn’t been an easy conversation, but she’d bought some time before Coraline confronted her mother.  She knew that Regina was worried for her.  She was, too.  She couldn’t help but be worried for her.

Driving around the sleepy little hamlet gave her time to think.  Red had been right earlier and as much as it pained her, she needed to know why.  Coraline didn’t know who she was when they first met.  She didn’t know about Vulcannonians and Regina had maintained her silence thinking that they were all dead.  But, Will wasn’t dead.  She was very much alive and in love with Regina’s daughter.  But, Will wasn’t in Coraline’s future.  Why? 

She turned down Main Street and headed back towards Mifflin on autopilot.  She would go patrol some part of town but then she would always head back towards 108.  Once she was satisfied that everyone was safe, she would go patrol another part of town.  It was going to be a long night.  Each time she turned to go back to Mifflin, she hoped that she would see Rumple.  She never did.  If the imp was out, he was hiding. 

She cracked her neck as she turned down towards the wharf.  She had to work in the morning if they didn’t have any news.  No one had told her if Rumple had made it through the last barrier.  And, at this point, she was taking that as good news.  She hoped that he would tire himself out.  It would leave him weak and vulnerable.  She could use that to her advantage.  She would break him for everything that he had done.  She would exact her revenge upon him.

She turned back towards Mifflin.  The night had been quiet, a little too quiet for her liking, but she wasn’t going to complain.  A quiet night would hopefully lead to a quiet day.  She drove back to the sheriff’s station just at the sun was cresting the trees.  It was still early and the failing light was bathing the town.  She parked the cruiser and got out.  David was already waiting for her at the station.  She tossed him the keys and then walked down to Granny’s for some coffee. 

She’d head back to her cabin at the Major Oak Arms.  She tried to wind down and get ready for work.  She knew that it was going to be simple, but she couldn’t help them with the research.  She could only help with the muscle.  She could attack or defend.  She could help plan, but they weren’t ready for all-out war.  She would be ready for whatever today would bring.  She had no choice.  She was Vulcannonian. 

She ran a hand through her hair.  She needed a shower.  She stank. 

 

Near the well, Rumple sat.  No one was looking for him.  Well, at least, they hadn’t come to the woods looking for him.  He could see the magic flowing from the well, but he knew that it wasn’t his spell.  The portal hadn’t opened.  He hadn’t succeeded.  He needed to find the ingredient at the Abbey, but he couldn’t get through the barrier.

He’d spent much of the evening trying to find a way through, but now at sunrise he had given up for the time being.  He would find another way.  He would get the dragon’s blood. 

Then, he remembered.  Coraline had fought a dragon that Tink had conjured.  He’d overheard Regina, Emma and Belle talking about it at diner.  If he could get the fairies to conjure him a dragon, then he could get what he needed.  It wasn’t a foolproof plan, but it was better than wasting his time on the damn barrier.  Now all he had to do was find a way to get Tink away from the rest of the fairies.  He knew that he couldn’t go into the Abbey, but maybe he could find a way to bring her out.

He stared at the well, again.  Something wasn’t right.  The magic coming out of the well was pulsing.  It wasn’t like when he used it to bring magic back.  It wasn’t like when he put the death curse on the well to stop Cora.  No, this had a different smell, a different taste.  There was magic flowing, but he didn’t know why.  Concerned he walked over to the well.  He looked down into it and saw a nighttime sky.  His face scowled.  It didn’t make sense.

He took a step back and looked around the forest.  There was nothing different.  It was quiet and wooded.  The well was the only thing that was changed.  He cocked his head and tried to figure out what was really going on with the well.  He walked back to the well and looked down into it.  Unfortunately, a large gray hand punched him away from the well.

Rumple flew back and hit a tree.  He slumped down in pain as he stared up at the well.  Two massive gray hands came out of it.  He stared at them for a few seconds before everything went dark.  His head hit the dirt and his eyes closed.  He never saw what came out of the well.


	34. Chapter 34

Rumple woke up sometime later and the sun was up.  He knew that this wasn’t a good sign.  He scrambled to his feet and made his way over to the well.  He looked down into it and only saw water.  He sat back on a boulder and began to wonder if he had been dreaming the night before.

He knew it had been late and he had used a considerable amount of magic in trying to break through the barriers.  He hadn’t been smart about it and he knew it.  He held his head in his hands and tried to remember as much as he could.  He touched his face as soon as he remembered getting punched.  He gingerly surveyed for damage and didn’t find much but a bloody lip.  He was surprised by this but thanked his magic for healing him quickly if it had.

He stood and looked back down into the well, again.  Still not seeing anything, he wondered what came out of it.  He finally looked at the ground around the well and he finally saw the evidence that something had indeed crawled out of the well and headed towards town.  He didn’t know what it was, but he knew that it couldn’t be good.  He also knew that they would blame him for bringing it in town.  He had no way to disprove it, either. 

He had been at the well.  He had conjured something at the well and while he was sure that the spell hadn’t worked, he wasn’t completely sure that he didn’t do something else.  He knew that somehow Regina and the rest knew he had been at the well and was trying something.  He didn’t know how and it didn’t matter. 

Rumple knew that he needed to figure this out and he needed to figure it out quickly.  Regina would soon have the town in a frenzy and after him.  He would have to fight back more than he was.  He would have to defend himself and he knew that Will was really the only one that could actually hurt him if she so wished.  He was still wondering why Will hadn’t laid a hand on him yet.  Shaking the thoughts from his head, he looked down at the ground and the tracks there.

“Oh, gods damn it!” he exclaimed. “Of all the things I could bring to this noxious Hell, ogres.  For the love of anything holy, I am dead.  They will kill me.  They won’t even care.”

He scrambled back to his feet.  He needed to get to his shop and he needed to get there before anyone else did.  He could protect himself there.  He could hide there.  He could plan there.  He needed to plan.  He needed to figure out how he could get the ingredients he needed to open the portal without having to go through the fairies.  He had to find a way.

He ran…well, hobbled as fast as he could through the forest to his car.  He got in it and took the long way back to town.  He was trying to not raise suspicions, but knew it was a little bit too late.  He saw the ogre lumbering towards town.  Then, he had an auspicious thought.  He could try to help them defeat the ogre and it would put him back into their good graces.  Then he might be able to convince the fairies to give him the ingredients. 

His thoughts changed as soon as he saw the vicious ogre turn from the forest and start heading for downtown.  He could call and warn them.  He could do something about it, but in the end, he did what Rumple always does.  He protected himself.  He did nothing.  He watched as it turned towards Main Street. 

He shook his thoughts and made up his mind to head for his pawn shop.  He drove on, not caring that he could actually save someone if he just made phone call.  He then decided that if everyone was worried about the ogre being downtown and how to deal with that, he would have free reign to try other locations to try to find the magical ingredients that he needed.  He reached for his cell phone and dialed the Sheriff’s number.  He would give them a head’s up.  It would give him enough time to get what he wanted, he assured himself.

 

The call had come in that morning while they were eating breakfast.  Emma just stared at the phone.  Regina watched her move, but what surprised her most was how Coraline moved as well.  She looked determined.  Emma had gone back upstairs to change.  Coraline followed her without word.  The unspoken language of two warriors gearing for battle flowed between them.

Emma was surprised to see her on the landing moments later.  She was dressed in black leather pants.  She could barely make out the black undershirt under the billowy, deep royal blue sword shirt.  The black jerkin over it was a nice touch, and Emma had to admit that her daughter was a handsome knight.

She saw Regina’s face when she “poofed” her sword in her hand and fastened it to her waist.  The next thing was a bow and hip quiver.  Coraline wasn’t going to let her Ma go alone.

Emma stood there staring.  She was in her jeans, signature tank top and red leather jacket.  Sans armor, her daughter looked like a knight rearing for battle.  All she had was her gun and cell phone.

“Ready?” Coraline asked her, walking out the door, not waiting for an answer.

“Coraline!” Regina called after her.

She stopped on the walk and turned around.  Brown eyes met brown eyes.  The worried look on Regina’s face morphed when she saw the look in Coraline’s eyes.  Coraline walked back up to the door and stopped right in front of Regina.  She watched as Emma came up behind Regina.

“Please, be careful.”

“Trust me, Mom.  Ogres are nothing.  I’ve got this,” she replied and then looked at Emma, again.  “You coming, Ma?”

Coraline look two steps away from the stoop and turned around again.  She slammed her right fist into her breast in salute.  Regina nodded realizing what her daughter was telling her without words.  She waited for a second as Emma joined her.

Regina watched them walking away, storming down the street into the fray.  She waited a second before she pulled out her cell phone and called Charming.  She knew that Snow and Charming would want to know what was going on.  She waited and when they didn’t immediately pick up the line, she called Henry down.

“Henry?!?”

“Yeah, Mom?” he called back down from his room.

“Pack a bag and come here.”

“Okay?  Everything okay?  What’s going on?” he asked coming out of his doorway and looking down at her.

“Just do it,” she told him plainly.

He ducked back into his room and was downstairs before she could think to call him again.  He looked up into her eyes and saw they were turning violet.  She hugged him and poofed them to outside Snow’s door.  She didn’t want to take the chance the Snow and Charming were busy.  She knocked on the door and Snow answered it with the toddling Prince Neal behind her.

“Regina?”

“Is Charming here?  I have need of both of your assistance.  Can we come in?  I need to make this brief.  There are things that need to happen quickly,” Regina told her.

 

Once she knew that Henry was safe, she started calling in more help.  Granny was staying at Snow’s with the boys.  Belle and Ruby still hadn’t answered, but she wasn’t worried.  Snow had insisted that she go help Charming and the family defeat the ogre.  Regina was worried about her family and the town.  She needed to know who unleashed it unwittingly on the town, but she needed help.  She needed Wilhelmina and she hoped that she got her in time.

Across town at the Major Oak, Will was getting ready for work.  Dressed in her normal royal blue shirt and jeans, she grabbed a jacket and her bag before heading out the door.  On her way to the car, her cell phone rang.  It was Regina.

“Yes, Majesty?”

“There is an ogre,” Regina said simply.

“Where?”

“Downtown.”

“I’m on my way.”

“Don’t let it hurt Emma or Coralline,” Regina begged her.

“I won’t, Majesty.  But, I have no weapons here.  I will need help.”

“I’ll meet you there,” Regina told her, waved her arms, flashing to the scene.

Will ran to her car.  She threw her bag in the passenger seat and peeled out of the parking lot.  She took no regard for her own safety as she flew across town at a breakneck speed to get to the ogre before Coraline or Emma could confront it.

She came barreling down the street.  She whipped the car sideways, threw it into park and was out the door before it came to a complete stop.  She stood behind the door and assessed the situation before her.  She could see Emma and Coraline near Emma’s squad car.  David wasn’t far behind them, stalking up the road from his truck.  She looked around, because she knew that if David was there.  Snow was, too.  She found Snow perched atop a building, bow and arrow in hand.  She was drawing and aiming at the ogre.  That is when she saw the movement from Emma, David and Coraline.  David has his sword drawn, Emma her gun, and Coraline was notching an arrow, drawing down on the ogre in front of them.

She felt her rage burning inside her.  She looked down at the asphalt, trying to quiet the rage just enough to formulate a plan of attack.  When she looked back up, she saw the shock of dark hair.  She met Regina’s eyes from across the expanse and knew she was worried.  Will nodded at her.

Regina was the only one who knew the rage inside her.  She was the only one that had ever seen her truly fight and be a Vulcannonian.  Their eyes met in a silent agreement and she could see Regina start muttering something.  Then, she felt the comforting feeling of a yew long bow in her hands.  She squared her shoulders and came around the car.

Her body was bowed and taught.  Her muscles started growing and her eyes were flashing yellow.  She knew it.  She could feel her skin starting to tear as her size grew.  She let the rage and anger flow.  She knew that it would be a sight to behold and a wonder for those who had never seen a Vulcannonian fight.  The poor ogre wasn’t going to know what to do with her.

“Hey!!!” she shouted her voice deep and raw with anger.

The ogre stopped his advance towards the Charmings and turned to face her.  She waved her hands at it as she jumped up and down.  Emma lowered her gun and watched the sight before her.  Coraline held her bow at the ready, but she was just as surprised.  Regina took this moment to come up behind them.

“Hey!!!” Will shouted again, bowing up further.

The ogre turned more fully.  Regina watched as Snow and Coraline look aim, waiting to see what Will did.  Emma stood there in disbelief.  David was by her side, sword at the ready to charge if needed, but no less dumbfounded by Will’s actions.

“HEY!!!  YOU BIG UGLY PIECE OF SHIT!!!  WHY DON’T YOU PICK ON SOMEONE THAT CAN ACTUALLY TAKE YOU!!!  COME ON, YOU FILTH!!!  COME AND GET ME!!!  THAT’S RIGHT!!!  COME ON!!!”

“What is she doing?” Emma whispered in question towards Regina.

“Her job,” Regina replied and flicked her hand at Will.

Will stood in an archer’s stance, left foot forward, bow at the ready in her left hand.  It was then that she realized she didn’t have any arrows.  She gracefully shot her right hand towards the ground and felt two arrows materialize in her hand.  She gave Regina a quick smirk as she notched them and took aim.

The ogre was angry at the noise and took a step towards Will.  Everything happened so fast from there that Emma couldn’t exactly keep up with it all.  Snow had a small smirk start to grace her face as she watched Will move, knowing that her grace belittled her true power and strength.

“HEY!!!  THAT’S RIGHT YOU BIG PILE OF SHIT!!!  I’M YOUR HUCKLEBERRY!!!”

The ogre growled at her.  It swung its massive hand knocking cars out of the way as it lumbered towards her.  She dug her left foot in and steadied herself as she raised the bow towards the ogre’s face.  She leveled out the bow with both arrows drawn and spread.  She took a deep breath and held it.  She closed her eyes, calming her body before the shot.  She opened them as she blew out and took the shot.  The arrows flew across the expanse and found their marks, both of the ogre’s eyes.  She lowered the bow and watched as the ogre started to fall forwards.

She pushed off with her back foot and started charging the monster.  Mid-stride she shifted the bow from her left hand to her right.  As she neared the ogre, it transformed in her hand into a sword.  She smiled as she accepted the weight of the new weapon.  Ten feet from the falling behemoth, she launched herself from the ground into the air.  She swung the sword around in her hand so that it would pierce the beast’s head as she came down on top of it with a mighty roar.

The blade sank into the ogre’s head.  Will still had a grip on the handle as she was knelt down on the beast’s lifeless body.  She looked up and into Regina’s eyes, watching the purple dissipate.

She tilted her head, stretching it, and withdrew the sword from its head.  She stood up and slowly and methodically walked around to the beast’s side.  She wiped the blade on the bit of fur and hide that it was wearing, cleaning its own blood off.

When the blade was clean to her satisfaction, she stepped over the body and stalked towards Regina.  Coraline and Emma were just staring at her.  Snow had made her way down from her perch and she was currently wrapped up in Charming’s arms.  Both of them were just smiling at Will as she knelt before Regina, offering her the sword.

“Your sword, Majesty,” she stated, bowing her head and staring at the street.

Regina reached over and took it.  She pulled it away.  She took a step forward and touched Will’s shoulder, bidding her to stand before her.  Her deep chestnut eyes met the now calm azure.

“You’ve done well today, Wilhelmina.”

“Thank you, Majesty.”

“Is there something you need?” Regina asked her, knowing that this was merely a show.

“May I go to work, now, Majesty?”

“Not dressed like that,” Regina told her.

Will looked down at her shirt and frowned.  She had torn it in places while she was hulking out to fight the ogre.  She looked up at Regina with pleading eyes.  Regina smiled at her and waved her hands over the clothing, returning it to its former state.

“Thank you, Majesty,” Will replied.

“Now, you may go,” Regina stated.

She bowed low, saluting her.  She stood quickly and turned before anyone else could address her.  She started to walk away when Coraline called out to her.  She stopped and turned.

“Wait,” Coraline called out, running after her.

“Yes, Coraline?” she asked when Coraline caught up with her.

“I just wanted to give you this,” she replied kissing her.

Will gave her a smile in return.  Coraline took her hand and held her there for a moment longer.  It was then that Will finally noticed her uniform.

“You should go change, Princess.  It won’t do for you to run around town like that.  It might give people the wrong idea about you,” Will told her matter-of-factly.

“I will.”

“I need to go,” Will told her trying to leave again.

“You’ll come by for dinner, right?” Coraline asked her.

She looked up at Regina, who nodded.  The relationships between them all had been strained since Will came to town and outed herself.  She knew that Regina was just trying to protect them all, but it still put a strain on Coraline and Will.

“I wouldn’t miss it, Princess.  I’ll see you later.  I promise,” Will told her, leaning over and kissing her, not caring if Regina approved or not.

Coraline and Emma watched Will walk away.  They were staring at her as she crossed over the ogre’s carcass and to her car.  Regina just smiled at them as Will drove away leaving them to deal with the aftermath of the ogre.

“What are we supposed to do with that?” Emma asked her.

“I’ll send it to the ocean.  The fish can eat on it.  Then we won’t have to worry about the stink.”

“You’re just going to poof it out there?”

“You and Coraline are going to help.  It is rather large, Darling.  I don’t think that I want to try that by myself,” Regina replied with a hint of mirth in her voice.

Coraline laughed.  She knew that her mother’s sense of humor generally had a strange way of showing and usually at what would be considered inopportune times.  Regina just smiled at Emma’s gawking face.  For once, she made Emma speechless.

“Come on, Mom.  Ma will catch up when she realizes that you’re kidding with her.  So where are we really sending it?”

“To the wharf,” Regina said a little more seriously.  “I really don’t want that stink in the town.  At least in the water, it will be contained.  And, the fish will actually eat it.  We won’t have to deal too much with the clean up after this.”

“I’ll organize the dwarves,” Charming said joining them.

“To do what?” Emma asked him. “Drag that thing to the water?  It’s huge.”

“No, Dear, they will clean up the town once we get it out of the way,” Regina replied.

“Oh…well, I guess we should get to it then,” Emma stated.

All three of them raised their hands and let the magic flow.  The carcass started to glow.  It lifted off the ground and then it was gone.  It vanished.  No sooner was it gone then Coraline’s phone rang.  She pulled it out and looked at the caller ID.  It was Will.

“Umm…is there a reason there is a giant floating ogre in the water?” Will asked.

“We sent it there?”

“Fishy disposal?” Will questioned.

“Yeah,” Coraline replied.

“Alright, I’ll send some guys out to hack it up and try and sink it.  The damn thing is floating and stinking up the wharf area.  I’ll call you later.  Let me go deal with this.  I’m probably going to be at it for a while,” Will replied.

“I will, hun.  Let me go check on Grams and the dwarves and see what they are up to. What do you want for dinner?  I am going to cook whether Mom knows it or not,” Coraline stated.

“Whatever, Love, I am not that picky.  Oh, and tell your mother that I’m accepting my punishment for kissing you out in public.  She’ll get a full report of the disposal later.”

“I will,” Coraline said and hung up.

“Will?” Emma asked her.

“Yeah, she told me that she’d give Mom a full report on the disposal tonight before dinner.”

“Ah, yes, reports.  I guess I should write one up about this, too.  We all know how your mother loves her paperwork.  So, you planning on making dinner?”

“Yes, do you think Mom will mind?”

“Nope, not at all,” Emma stated.

“Why you saying it like that?” Coraline asked her.

“Because you haven’t tried to burn down an apartment or her house.  You’ll be fine.  But, don’t worry about getting some alone time with Will tonight.  I’ll make sure you get some.  Now, go on and plan your menu.  David and I will take care of this,” Emma told her.

Regina watched her leave. She saw the smile on Emma’s face and returned it.  She wondered what made Emma smile like that.  She walked across the street to where Emma was standing to find her with David.  She had to admit that she was glad she resembled her father more than her mother, even if she was a Charming.

“Emma, a word,” she stated as she joined them.

Emma turned to face her lover and smiled at her.  The rest of them went to Granny’s to celebrate another job well done.  She watched them go, knowing that Snow had the clean-up covered.

“What is it, Regina?” Emma asked her.

“The call this morning,” Regina started.

“Yeah, what about it?”

“Who called you?”

“I don’t know.  It was a guy, older.  I didn’t even think about it.  I was too busy trying to figure out how the hell an ogre ended up in town.  I wasn’t trying to recognize their voice.”

“An older man called you personally?  He didn’t call the station.  He didn’t call 9-1-1.  He called you, Emma.  That doesn’t tell you anything?” Regina asked her.

“It tells me that I know him,” Emma replied.

“Exactly, you know him.  He has your personal number.  He might even have something to gain from this incident.  Does that ring a bell?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!  You don’t think that he is that desperate, do you?  I mean:  would he actually unleash an ogre on the town knowing all of your histories with them?”

“This is Rumple we are talking about.  He would do anything that he can to get what he wants.  He doesn’t care how it will hurt others as long as he can get some sort of benefit from it.”

“What should we do?” Emma questioned.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“If he thinks that we are on to him, he will keep throwing things at us.  We need to find a way to make sure he doesn’t know that we are aware of what he is trying to do.  We should lower the shields at the Abbey and allow the fairies to go back.”

“Are you sure?” Emma asked, not quite understand where Regina was going with her thoughts.

“Think about it.  If we lower the barriers, he will go look for the ingredients he needs.  When he still can’t find them, he’ll have to give up.  We still don’t what exactly he is still trying to do.  This will give us both time.  We can narrow down what he is trying to do and he will just waste his time trying to find something that we don’t have,” Regina explained.

“It sounds too easy,” Emma replied.

“Sometimes, easy is the best thing magically.  He won’t realize what we are doing.  He’ll think we just gave up or we decided to move things because we know something.  I’ll talk to Blue.  We’ll make sure that he can’t get whatever he needs.  We’ll protect the stash.  You watch him or get him under surveillance.  I’ll work with Red and Belle.  We’ll figure this all out,” Regina assured her.  “We need to do this.  You’ve done similar things running cons, right?”

“Yeah, I did.  Alright, we’ll give it a go.  But, if things even remotely start to go hinky, I’ll pulling the plug and just arresting the bastard,” Emma told her.

“Yes, Dear, if you want, you can certainly try,” Regina told her with a laugh as they walk away from downtown and towards the Sheriff’s station.

 

Ruby rolled over and realized that she was next to something warm.  It was soft and warm.  She was in bed with someone.  Her eyes flew open and she stared at the auburn headed woman lying next to her.  She didn’t remember getting in bed with Belle, but it was evident that it had happened.  She tried not to move because she didn’t want to wake her.

She sighed and stared at the ceiling.  She couldn’t believe that she had gotten herself into this mess.  She loved Belle, but she’d never acted on it.  Now, she was in bed with her and she couldn’t remember how.  She couldn’t remember if she’d wolfed out or not.  She’d been angry the night before.  She was emotional.  She wanted Rumple dead, but she knew that she couldn’t fight him on her own.  She promised Will that she wouldn’t hurt him either.  She was defaulting that privilege to her cousin and her Beta Wolf.  She didn’t like it, but as long as Rumple was punished for his deeds she’d learn to live with it.

“Ruby?” Belle asked her sleepily.

“Yes?”

“Why are you awake?”

“The sun is up.”

“What’s wrong?”

“What happened last night?”

“What do you mean, Ruby?  Nothing happened last night.  You were angry.  Your wolf was begging to be released so you could go after Rumple, but somehow you managed to hold back.  I don’t know why or how, but you did.  I am proud of you for that.”

“I am still angry.”

“I don’t blame you for you that.”

“Belle…”

“Shh, Ruby, you have right to be mad at him.  I won’t deny you that.  He wasn’t always like this.  He was sweet and caring, but now…Regina is helping me get a divorce.  I am sure that my father will be extremely happy, but…I still love him, but he isn’t the same man anymore.  His heart is dark and corrupted.  I cannot help him.  I cannot be what he needs,” Belle told her.

“He will fight for you,” Ruby said, resigning to the fact that she might never have Belle.

“He might, but I am not his anymore.  I can’t go back to him.  There is too much pain.  Even all the happiness and love between us, I cannot forgive or forget everything that he has done to us.  I just can’t,” Belle explained.

“I understand.”

“Do you know that he tried to file a police report with Emma about me?”

“He what?” Ruby asked, turning to face her.

“He tried to file a report stating that you, Snow and Regina had stolen me and he wanted his property returned.  That was what finally did it for me.  No matter how much I love him, I was never his property.  I won’t live like that.  I sacrificed myself to him to save my family and our kingdom.  I was a prisoner but over time, I became more, a slave, a servant, a friend and finally a lover.  But, never once in the Enchanted Forest did he treat me as his property.”

“Belle…”

“No, Ruby, I don’t know when it happened, but that is not my Rumple.”

Ruby sat up.  She didn’t want to talk about Rumple.  She didn’t want to think about him.

Belle turned in the bed to face her.  She could see the questions in Ruby’s hazel eyes.  She wasn’t sure what to do or what to say to the Wolf.  She knew that Ruby was quiet and hid her feelings.  She knew that it was part of her being a Wolf.  She also knew Ruby’s history.  It was sorted and not something that Ruby liked to publicize if she didn’t have to.  Too many people would just try to kill her just because she was a Wolf.  If they knew her complete history, they would demand her head.  Belle was one of the few that new the stories and knew how much they affected Ruby.  But, lying with her now, in her bed, Belle wasn’t sure what was really bothering the Wolf.  She wondered if it had something to do with Rumple or if was the fact that she was having to default her Alpha status to her cousin for the purposes of stopping Rumple’s plans.

“Ruby?” Belle asked, realizing that they hadn’t said anything to each other in a few moments.

“Hmm?” Ruby lazily answered back.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Ruby…” Belle stated more like a warning.

“It’s nothing,” Ruby replied and then sharply turned over when she heard her phone ring.

She grabbed her cell and looked at it.  She amazed to see missed calls.  She couldn’t believe that she’d slept through her ringer.  She scrolled through the list as the phone just continued to ring for a second.  She saw some missed from Regina, Will, and Emma.  It was the final calls from Snow and Granny that made her answer the ringing phone in her hand, fearing that something was majorly wrong and she’d slept through it.

“Hey, you finally awake?” Emma asked her.

“Yeah, sorry.  Long night and all.  What’s up?”

“Ogre.”

“Are you fucking shitting me?” Ruby asked.

“Nope.”

“I’ll be right there,” Ruby stated, flying out the bed and towards her chest of drawers.

“No worries, Rubes.  We’ve already dealt with it.  Rather, Will did.  It’s dead and in the harbor being cut up and dragged out to sea.”

“Then, why are you calling?” Ruby asked her flatly.

“I need you to track it.”

“You don’t know where it came from?”

“Not the foggiest idea.  Regina and I both suspect Rumple, but we can’t prove it.  No one has seen him in days…well, since you did that night in the woods.  He’s stopped attacking the Abbey according to Coraline.  She can’t feel him trying to get the barrier anymore,” Emma told her.

“Sure you don’t want me to track him?” Ruby questioned.

“I am not worried about him at the moment.  If has unleashed something, we want to get in front of it.  If he did do something, we need to know.  Can you track the damn ogre?”

“Yeah, I can.  Give me a few minutes.  I got to get dressed and I’ll head down to Granny’s.  That sound good or do you want me meet you somewhere else?”

“Granny’s is good.  We’re all heading there to talk strategy anyway.  You haven’t happened to have seen Belle have you.  There is something that Regina found that she needs translated.”

“She came home with me, remember?”

“Oh, yeah, well, bring her with you.”

“Okay.  See you soon.  I need to wake her up.”

“Rubes?”

“What, Emma?”

“You okay?” Emma asked her.

“I’m fine.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.”

“Okay, just wondering.  You sound off.  Something happen?”

“No, I’ll see you in few minutes,” Ruby replied, ringing off before Emma could say anything else, causing Belle to sit up in bed and study her harder.

Ruby didn’t say anything as she quickly striped her shirt off and pulled another one on.  Her back had been to Belle.  She didn’t even think about her being there.  She was more worried about how she didn’t hear her phone while the town had been under attack, probably just outside her window, by an ogre while she slept.

“Ruby?”

She didn’t reply.  She just continued to change, silently berating herself for feeling like she did.  She didn’t know if she was angrier with herself for not remembering going to bed with Belle or the fact that she’d slept through the phone calls when they needed her to help them.  She didn’t know how she could possibly be an Alpha of any pack when she’d let her guard down.

“Ruby?” Belle tried again.

Still lost in thought, Ruby left the bedroom for the bathroom.  She shut the door behind her.  She was staring at herself in the mirror as she watched her eyes changing from hazel to yellow. 

Belle pulled the door open and stared at her staring at herself.  She couldn’t understand the torment in her eyes.  They hadn’t done anything the night before.  They hadn’t talked.  Red merely let her feelings be known about the situation.  Belle thought it had been enough for Red to back down and let Ruby sleep, but seeing her now like this, she was wrong.  Even she was surprised at the quickness that Red feel asleep next to her after she admitted that she was afraid of Belle.  Belle had lain there for a few minutes wondering exactly what Red had meant by her statements.  She eventually fell asleep, too.  But, seeing her like this again after the phone call scared Belle.  She needed to find a way to get through to her.

“Ruby?” she asked again, seeing her eye flick up in the mirror and meeting her blue.

“We need to go,” Red answered.

“Where?”

“There was an ogre.”

“An ogre?” Belle asked.

“Yes, we slept through it.”

“Oh…Ruby, wait.  We need to talk.  Regina and Emma can wait.  This is important.”

“There was an ogre that attacked the town, Belle.  Whatever else there is can wait.  It is bad enough that I slept through the fight.  Now you are asking me to do nothing?” Red accused.

“I am not saying that.  I am saying that we need to talk.  You need to tell me what has you so riled up?  Why is it that Red is here and not Ruby?”

“We are the same.”

“But, you are different.  I am Lacey and I am Belle.  Ruby, you’ve been fighting for so long that you haven’t taken the time to sit back and relax.  No one is going to fault you for needing some personal time.  It is one of the reasons that the town survives.  We all work together.  If someone needs a day, they can take it.  The town won’t fall apart.  There is always someone there who can feel the gap and step up.  We fight based on both sets of memories.  There is nothing that you can say that will make me think any different.”

“Belle…”

“Don’t, Ruby.  Don’t push me away.  Besides, Regina, I don’t have many close friends here.  I can’t lose you to whatever you think that you have to fight on your own.  I won’t let you do it.  There is nothing wrong with asking for help,” Belle told her, getting closer to her.

Ruby gripped the sink as hard as she could.  Her eyes never left Belle’s in the mirror.  Her mind was stalking her, watching her, smelling her and trying ever so hard not to take her.

She moved up next to her.  Ruby could feel her heat penetrating her shirt into her skin.  She could smell the unique smell that was Belle.  She could feel her body responding.

“Belle…” she warned again.

Belle saw the look her eyes.  Suddenly things started to make sense.  She watched the rapid fall of Ruby’s chest.  She could see her speeding pulse and watched as her pupils dilated again

“No, Ruby, I am not letting you go,” Belle told her as she grabbed her waist and turned her around to face her.

“Belle…” Ruby said, barely holding the Wolf back.

“Ruby Elizabeth Lucas, you will tell me what is bothering you!” Belle demanded.

Her eyes flashed yellow completely.  She didn’t realize what she was doing until she was already moving.  She’d picked Belle up and was moving back towards her bed.  She dropped Belle on the bed and stalked up on it.  Eyes still yellow and intent, she never let her gaze drop from Belle’s blue eyes as she silently moved across the bed on her hands and knees.  It was very much like a predator stalking the prey as she came up from the foot of the bed.

Belle’s heart was skipping beats as she watched Ruby’s face.  There was no thought behind her movements.  It was pure instinct and emotion.  She tried not to let Ruby see that she was slightly frightened by her strength, her intensity and her animalistic nature.  She just kept her piercing blue eyes on Ruby’s fully blown yellow eyes. 

When Ruby was over her, one leg between hers, hands on either side of her shoulders, and effectively pinning Belle to the bed, she stopped.   She held herself over Belle and just stared into her face.  She cocked her head and just watched Belle’s eyes as they danced with emotion.  Suddenly, Ruby turned her head and sniffed the air.

“Belle…” she whispered in a growl, still trying to hold herself back and realizing how far she had actually come with Belle in that moment.

Belle looked at her eyes.  She saw the yellow starting to fade.  She saw the raw emotion that Ruby had been trying to hide start to surface and things began to make sense for her.  Ruby was a beautiful woman.  She always had been, but she hadn’t been with anyone in years.  Instead, Ruby was loyal to a fault to Granny.  She gave into to Wolf on the weeks of the Moon.  Belle knew that sometimes Emma, for some uncanny reason, was the only one who could reason with her when Red started to appear.  But, it was only since Coraline’s revelation and Will’s sudden reappearance that Ruby’s Alpha state had come to the forefront.  Belle began to wonder what that was doing to her libido.  She knew that Wolves mated for life and being the Alpha Ruby would be expected to find a mate to help continue the line and the pack.

“Ruby?”

“Belle…” she whispered, fighting back the Wolf and trying to will herself to not Wolf-out.

Belle then realized why Ruby has insisted on being so close to her.  She understood why Will had insisted that she walk them home and she always kept Ruby aware of where Belle was.  It should have been more obvious to the librarian but she had been dealing with her own issues with Rumple.  Regina and Emma even seemed to support the match without even thinking about it.  It would be no different than her match with Rumple.  There was still darkness in Ruby, but Belle could see how much she fought it in order to maintain some semblance of a human identity.  It was the one thing that Rumple couldn’t do.  He refused to give into his humanness, while Ruby tried to embrace it whole-heartedly.

She tried to soften her features.  She reached out and touched Ruby’s cheek.  She felt her melt into the touch.  It was enough to break her heart.  She could see the look of desperation that Ruby was giving her and she didn’t know how to ease Ruby’s mind or her heart.  So, she did the only thing that she could think of doing at that moment.  She leaned up slightly off the bed and kissed her.


	35. Chapter 35

Emma and Regina entered Granny’s and got a booth.  She was surprised to see Snow join them.  Henry ran over as soon as he saw his mothers.  Emma just smiled at his enthusiasm.  After he sat down, Snow got up to talk to Granny and get Neal.

“Is it dead?” Henry asked.

“Yes,” Regina said flatly.

“Can I see it?”

“No,” Regina and Emma both stated quickly.

“Why not?”

“Because it has already been disposed of,” Emma told him.

“I never get to do anything,” Henry lamented.

“Don’t try to guilt me, Kid.  That thing was huge and dangerous.  It wasn’t exactly a picnic.”

“I know, but how am I supposed to be a prince and knight if no one gives me a chance?”

Regina stared at him.  He was an adult but he was still her son.  She would protect him from the world if she could, but she knew that soon she would have to let him go.  Her anxiety radiated off of her and Emma could feel it.  She reached over and put her hand on Regina’s knee.

“Kid, I promise you that the world is a big and scary place.  Be young and enjoy it.  The time for fighting will come and you will be ready.  Will, Charming and Snow are going to teach you.  But, you need to understand that we don’t have to like it.  Okay, Kid?” Emma asked.

“I know, Ma.  I get it.  But, I am not going anywhere.  Remember?  I stay with you and become the crown prince heir to the throne.  Plus, I have to be big brother to Coraline.  I can’t let her down,” he told them.

They both shook their heads.  Of course, their son would be thinking of the future and his little sister.  He shouldn’t have to be worrying about that.  Regina was proud of him for thinking about his soon-to-be little sister, but she was also afraid of their future fate.  It wasn’t fair that his destiny was to die at the hand of the Blackness.  They wanted better for him.

“We are doing our best to make sure that you don’t have to fight, Henry.  It is ever parents’ nightmare that their children will have to fight a battle that they started.  I mean to end it before you have to fight, Henry,” Regina explained to him.

Henry nodded in understanding.  He knew he shouldn’t push so much, but he was older now.  He knew that Regina and Emma were having a hard time letting him be an adult, but they were trying.  They were his moms, so he knew that they wouldn’t just let him go do anything.

“Okay, Mom,” he replied.

“I mean it, Henry.  Don’t go down to the wharf.  And, don’t think that I won’t know you were down there.  Will is down there handling the cleanup.  She’ll know you were there.”

“I know.  Well, I am going to head back to Grams then.  I heard something about Coraline making dinner.  Call me and let me know what time I need to be home,” he told her and was out the door without waiting for an acknowledgement.

“He’s going to the docks, isn’t he?” Emma asked her watching him leave.

“More than likely.”

“Should we call Will?”

“No, she’ll watch out for him.  And, she’ll give me a complete run down on what happened with the ogre and with Henry when she comes over for dinner tonight.  By the way, were you planning on telling me that Coraline is cooking or were you just going to let it be a surprise?”

“Oh come on, she isn’t going to burn the house down,” Emma replied.

“Still, Emma, you know how I am about my kitchen.”

“She’s your daughter for Pete’s sake.  How bad could she really be?  I figured we had enough to worry about without dealing with dinner.  She wants to cook.  Let her cook.  She wants to see Will.  Let her see Will.  At least this way, you can chaperone.”

“There is that,” Regina said with a slight mirth in her voice.

“You’re toying with me, now?  About this?  You are, aren’t you?”

“It is just too easy sometimes, Miss Swan,” Regina replied with a cocked eyebrow and a smile.

“I’ll show you easy,” Emma told her as she gathered her up in her arms.

“Dear, we don’t have time for that right now.  I thought you said that Ruby and Belle were going to meet us here.  They should have been here by now,” Regina replied.

“You’re right, they should have.  But, Ruby seemed off this morning when I called her.  I’ll give her a few more minutes, and then I’ll go talk to Granny,” Emma stated, picking up a cup of coffee and drinking it.

“Did Belle go home with her?”

“I think so, yeah.  Will escorted them both to Ruby’s apartment, I think, before she went on patrol.  She didn’t say anything weird happened to Dad this morning when he took back over, but then again, I didn’t have chance to talk to her before the whole ogre thing either.  Do you think something happened to them?” Emma asked her.

“No, I don’t.  I just think that Ruby is over thinking again.  And, knowing Red like I do, she is angry that she slept through the fight. She is trying to come to terms with her Wolf now more than ever.  Will ceded her Alpha state to Ruby because she has no interest in running a pack.  Ruby desperately wants a family and she is the Alpha.”

“She feels like she failed us?” Emma questioned.

“Probably and if not us, then Henry, Neal and Snow.  She is your friend and your godmother.  But, if anything ever happens to us, she will also be your sister-in-law.  She takes family very seriously.  I can only imagine how protective of Coraline she becomes when we die.”

“We aren’t going to die, Regina.  I am not going to let that happen.  We will find a way.”

 

Upstairs in her room, Ruby was in shock.  She didn’t dare breath or move because she thought that the dream would end.  She knew that it had to be a dream.  There was no way in reality that Belle was in her bed with her, under her, and kissing her.  It just couldn’t be true.

And the she felt it, the warmth of Belle’s body burning hers.  She felt the slide glide of Belle’s lips against her own.  Her cheeks were surrounded by Belle’s fingers.  She opened her eyes only to realize that she was only inches from Belle’s beautiful blue eyes.

Belle saw her eyes flicker open and she registered the question in Ruby’s hazel eyes before Ruby could even ask it.  She didn’t let go of her face.  Instead, Belle held her firmly in place.  She let her intense gaze do the talking for her and she watched as Ruby’s hazel eyes flickered over and over again with yellow.  She knew that the Wolf inside was trying to gauge Belle’s actions, but at the same time she knew that Ruby was holding Red at bay so that her Wolfside didn’t hurt her.

“Ruby?” Belle asked staring into her perfect hazel eyes.

Ruby blinked a few times but didn’t reply.  She just held herself up while she studied Belle’s face.  She blinked again and then sighed.  She didn’t know what to say.

“Ruby?”  Belle tried again.

She tried to pull up and out of Belle’s hands, but she couldn’t.  Belle held her in place by her face.  There was so much that she wanted to say but her mind wasn’t cooperating with her.  She felt lost but found at the same time. 

“Ruby?” Belle probed one more time.

This time, Ruby made some noise like a grunt in answer, but still no words.  Belle just smiled at her.  She knew that Ruby would have a hard time with this because she had been denying herself for so long, but at the same time, Belle was kicking herself for not seeing it sooner. 

She let her thumbs brush across Ruby’s bottom lip as she met her hazel eyes in an intense gaze. Still trying to help Ruby relax, Belle didn’t let her go.  She waited for Ruby to realize what was happening was real and that she wasn’t dreaming.

“Why?” Ruby finally whispered so quietly that Belle almost missed the sound.

“Why not?” Belle countered.

Ruby didn’t have an answer.  She was confused.  Here was the woman of her dreams holding her face in her hands and kissing her and Red was questioning the validity of the moment.  She didn’t know what to do.  Her heart rate that had just quietened down began to speed again.

“Ruby, look at me,” Belle demanded.

Ruby focused on Belle below her.  She saw the intensity in her blue eyes and found that she couldn’t look away if she wanted to.  Belle leaned up off the pillow again, running her thumb over her lip one more time, before she kissed her thoroughly.

“That time you can’t say that you were dreaming,” Belle told her as she lay back down.

Ruby just blinked.  She didn’t know what to think.  But, Red…Red knew what she wanted and that was the woman below her.  Belle could see the war between them and she wondered what it was really about.  Ruby held her two sides together and fought between them every day except during Wolf’s Time.  Then she let Red free to run, but this was different and Belle could sense it in the way that Ruby was moving.  Red wanted out and Ruby was afraid of what she might do.

“Ruby?”

“Yes?” she managed to say without her voice shaking as much as she thought she was.

“You aren’t dreaming,” Belle told her and released her face to let Ruby run if she wanted.

Ruby sat back on her haunches.  She managed to keep her weight off of Belle as she still lay beneath her.  The questions were radiating off of Ruby, but she didn’t know what to say.  She didn’t know what to do.  She just sat there and stared.  Finally, her senses caught up with her.

“We need to go downstairs,” she told Belle.

“Why?”

“Emma and Regina are waiting for us.”

“They’ve been waiting, Ruby.  So have you.  Now, tell me what you couldn’t tell me last night.”

Ruby looked bewildered.  She really wished that she could remember more of last night, but she couldn’t.  Red had taken over and at one point Ruby completely gave her Wolfside control.  She sighed and looked at the wall for a minute.  There was something about staring into nothing that could center her long enough that Red would simply quieten down long enough for Ruby.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“There are enough things complicating things right now, Belle.  This can wait.  There was an ogre this morning.  And, we slept through it.  I need to go.  I need to help Emma figure out where it came from.  Will is at the wharf dealing with it in the aftermath.  Regina needed you for something.  We need to go,” Ruby told her.

She relaxed as much as she could.  She waited for Belle to respond, when she didn’t.  Ruby got off the bed and started for the bathroom again.  Belle sat up on the bed and watched her.  She didn’t know what to do for her.  Belle wanted to help Ruby with her feelings, but first she knew that Ruby would need to acknowledge them.

“Ruby?”

“Yes,” Ruby answered coming out of the bathroom and back into her room.

“I’m going to let you go for now, but we will talk about this later,” Belle informed her getting up close and personal with her.

When Ruby didn’t answer or immediately back away, Belle gathered her into her arms.  She pulled Ruby against her and felt her melt into her.  She looked up into Ruby’s hazel eyes and smiled.  She felt Ruby’s arms finally snaking up and holding her back.  When she felt the warmth of Ruby’s palm against her back, she ran a hand up Ruby’s arm to her cheek.  She held it for a moment and gazed into the depth of her eyes. 

“Belle…”

“No, Ruby, don’t.  I’m not letting you do this.  Go help Emma, but tonight you are coming back here and we are going to talk,” Belle told her not letting her go.

Ruby understood the meaning in her words.  She nodded and smiled.  Then in what could only be called something very Ruby-esque fashion, she leaned over and kissed Belle.  She didn’t hold back.  She poured as much emotion into that kiss as she could and she was amazed to feel Belle return it.  When the kiss suddenly changed and deepened, Ruby pulled back before Red could take over and things got out of hand, way too quickly.

“I need to go.”

“Go on, Ruby.  I’ll be down in a minute.  Tell Regina that I’ll meet her at the library. All my books are there and I will be able to translate whatever it is that she needs there,” Belle said.

“I will.”

“I’ll see you tonight.”

“Yes, you will,” Ruby replied with a big smile on her face.

She ran down the stairs and almost plowed Emma over.  She could see the surprised look on Emma’s face as she reached out and held her from completely falling over.  Her Wolf strength keeping them both upright as Ruby righted them both before walking over to the booth where Regina was sitting.  She sat down with a little flourish before she reached over and took Regina’s coffee downing it in two quick sips.  She sat the cup back down and met her older sister’s questioning eyes, but said nothing.  She smiled at Regina and let the light in her eyes do the talking for her.  She didn’t know what to tell her about the situation anyway.

“So…” Regina started waiting to get Ruby’s explanation for the morning.

“Ogre, I heard.  It’s dead, right?  So, what’s the plan?” Ruby rushed out all at once.

Emma sat down and regarded her friend.  There was something about her that was off but she couldn’t quite place it. Maybe it was the uncharacteristically large smile that she was sporting or maybe it was the way that she was acting, Emma wasn’t sure, but she didn’t know enough to be bothered completely by it.

“Yes, the ogre is dead.”

“Will…well, Will fucked it up,” Emma replied crassly.

“She’s been known to do that,” Ruby quipped.

“Not like that.  I’ve never seen anything like.  It was like she turned into a superhero.  Henry would have loved to have seen it, but that isn’t the point,” Emma stated and felt Regina’s hand creeping up her leg as she started rambling on like some high school geek.

“Sorry, I missed it.  Late night talking with Belle and all, but I’m glad everything turned out all right.  Speaking of Belle, she wanted me to let you know that she would meet you at the library.  Something about all her books were there anyway and it would be easier to translate.”

Emma and Regina both looked at her and then each other.  Emma could see and Regina could hear it in Ruby’s voice.  Ruby was in love and they knew that something had happened last night.  They may not know the extent of what happened, but judging by Ruby’s idiotic smile, it was enough to make Ruby happy for days.  They both looked back at her and just smiled.

“What?” Ruby asked, confused by their behavior.

“Nothing at all, dear,” Regina stated, not dropping her smile.

“Do you need something to eat?” Emma asked.

“Why?”

“We need to go.  I want you on that trail before it disappears.  And, I know you just woke up not too long ago, so if you need something, it’s on me,” Emma told her standing up from the booth.

“Nope, I’m good.  However, Regina might need another coffee.  I’ll make sure that she gets it before we go.  I’ll just go tell Granny where I’m going,” Ruby told them and was behind the counter and in the kitchen before they realized what she said.

“You need more coffee and haven’t flagged a waitress down?” Emma asked.

Regina blinked a few times and then turned to face Emma, holding her empty cup, “Ruby drank it all as soon as she sat down.  I didn’t really have time to do anything.  You need to talk to her about this.  I am not saying that I don’t approve of their pairing, because I do.  I just want them to both be happy, Emma, I promise, but the timing isn’t good.  We don’t need to provoke the Imp any more than we already have.”

“I know.  I was going to talk to her while we were out.  I doubt that they did anything.  If they had, Ruby wouldn’t have let the room.  She’d still be up there with Belle.”

“Do they both think that we are that dense?” Regina asked her.

“No, I don’t think so.  I think that they aren’t sure of what they have.  We both know the looks that Ruby and Red have both been giving Belle since you set her free.  It was only a matter of time before something happened.  Fortunately for Ruby, it seems that Belle returned her feelings.  Plus, I would hate to hear what you have to say to Belle about this,” Emma explained.

“What would I have to say to Belle about this?” Regina questioned.

“Please.  Don’t be so obtuse.  Yes, I can use big words, too.  You love Ruby.  She’s your baby sister and while not everyone knows that, you still defend her.  You are fiercely protective of your family and now mine…as much as that pains you, but I know that you would do anything to make sure that they are happy, healthy and loved.  Ruby is no different.  She is closer to you than anyone else in town and you know it.  You will eventually give Belle the normal dad speech.”

“The Dad speech?” Regina inquired.

“Yeah, you know the ‘don’t hurt my daughter or I’ll kill you’ speech.”

“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” Regina replied rather sullenly.

“Oh, shit…yeah, sorry, Regina.”

“It is quite alright, Dear.  I know that you didn’t mean anything by it.  But, you are right.  I think that I will have a similar speech with Miss French.  I would hate to have to hurt her now that I like her.  Plus, it will be nice to have something that can keep up with my conversations and vocabulary at family gatherings,” Regina quipped.

“Oh, really, I keep up with you just fine,” Emma replied.

“Yes, you do, Dear.  Yes, you do,” Regina stated cocking an eyebrow at the thinly veiled innuendo in her statement.  “I thoroughly enjoy it, too.”

“Here’s two cups to go,” Ruby said setting them on the table.

“Thank you, dear,” Regina said taking them before turning to Emma.  “You two should go.  Call me if you find anything useful.  Also, don’t forget that Coraline is making dinner tonight.  I suppose that it will be ready about six o’clock.  Don’t be late.”

Regina stood up and left the dinner with both to-go cups in her hands.  Emma just smiled after her, appraising her lovely ass as it walked away.  Ruby catching her line of sight swatted her on the arm playfully.  And, with their matching smiles, they made their way out of the diner and down the street to where Will had ultimately defeated the ogre.

There was still some of the sickeningly blue blood on the asphalt.  Ruby kneeled down to study the pools of blood that Emma, Coraline, and Regina’s magic didn’t get rid of.  She sniffed the air.  She could smell the diner, the street, various forms of oil from the cars on the street and finally Emma.  She reached out and ran her hand over the blood, careful not to touch it.  She could feel the slight heat from the street radiating up through it. 

With her other hand, she pushed Emma behind her.  She needed to get Emma out of her scent line.  She cocked her head to the side and sniffed again.  She heard Emma moving back up next to her.  She pushed her back again and took a deeper breath.  She could taste the ogre on her breath and she shuttered.  Cocking her head a little to the other side, she looked down the street.

“He came from this way,” Ruby said, standing up and heading down the street.

As they walked down the middle of the two land street, Ruby stayed in front.  She would pause every few feet and take another sniff of the air.  Other times she would drop back down to the pavement on her knees and smell.  It wasn’t hard to miss the scent of the ogre.  It was putrid and pungent.  There was no longer blood or sweat or anything besides the smell that let her know that the ogre was even there.

Emma, having caught on back by the pools of blood, stayed behind Ruby and let her track the ogre.  She realized that her own scent could hinder Ruby’s ability to smell where it came from.  She kept back at least two paces.  It was far enough away for her to help Ruby if something came up that Ruby couldn’t handle.  She drew her sidearm just in case.

Emma and Ruby made their way through the town and to the edge of the woods.  They gave each other a knowing look and entered the dense forest with minor trepidation.  Emma could the giant footprints that the ogre left in the soft earth that wasn’t covered by the undergrowth of the forest.  She was glad that she had Ruby with her, though.  She knew that Ruby could smell the ogre’s trail.  She knew that it must be hard for her over the smells of the forest, but she knew that once Ruby locked on to a smell that she was asked to track that she would follow it until she couldn’t smell it anymore. 

Ruby came to a stop in the middle of a clearing.  She sniffed the air and spun around.  Emma watched her face.  She knew that she was losing the trail.  It either meant that they were near where the ogre came from or the wind and weather were masking the scent enough that Ruby was losing the trail.

“What is it?” Emma asked as she watched Ruby spin around again.

“Rumple has been here,” she said.

Ruby knelt down to the ground.  She touched the earth and then brought her hand up to her nose.  She sniffed it.  Shaking her head, she stood up and started off at a sprint.  Emma had a hard time keeping up but she knew that she had to try.  She knew that whatever Ruby smelled it couldn’t be good.  She ran as fast as her long legs would carry her behind the Wolf.

Emma almost ran into the back of Ruby as she came up short near the old well in the forest.  Had she not put her hand out to stop herself from plowing into the back of Ruby, they both may have fallen into the well.  She searched around the immediate area and couldn’t find anything that would cause her to be worried.  When she turned around, she saw Ruby completely wolfed out.

“Red?” she asked.

Red slowly stepped forward and nuzzled Emma’s hand.  Emma rubbed her between the ears.  She knew that if Red was there in Wolf form that there was something that she couldn’t sense.  She was glad that she had Red there with her.  She knew that they would protect each other.

“What’s wrong?”

Red pointed her nose at the well.  Emma scrunched up her face in concern and turned back around to the well.  She took two small steps forward towards it.

They both knew that the well was a portal for magic.  Emma and Snow had climbed out of it years ago after their strange romp in the Enchanted Forest.  It was also the same place that Rumple had brought magic to this realm.  Rumple also almost killed them with the Death curse he put on the well to stop Cora, the curse that Regina absorbed and survived.  Emma remembered that she needed to thank Regina for that, again.  She was about to take another step towards the well when Red grabbed her back the back of her pants with her teeth and jerked her backwards.  Emma landed on her ass and glared at Red.

“Don’t even.  You could have said something you know.  I hope you didn’t rip ‘em,” Emma told her as she stood up and brushed herself off.

Red just huffed through her nose at her.  Emma could swear that the werewolf was laughing at her.  Red just nosed her and pointed over to a tree.  Emma took the hint and walked over to it.  She knelt down next to the base of the tree that was almost twenty feet away from the well.  When she got down to the base and where the roots were, Red came up beside her and sat down on her haunches. 

“I know.  We need to call Regina, but what to do I tell her?  I can’t smell what you smell,” Emma told her, rubbing her between the ears again.

Red stood up and walked behind a tree.  She came back around the tree as Ruby.  Ruby touched Emma with her hand and saw the surprise as Emma stood up to face her.

“What is it?”

“Rumple was here at the well,” Ruby told her.

“What about the tree?  What is it?  What aren’t you telling me?” Emma asked her.

“Rumple hit that tree hard.  I can smell his sweat on the base of it.  But, the ogre came out of the well.  I don’t know how or why, but I have a feeling that Rumple had something to do with it.  He is the only one that I know that comes out here to screw around with magic and the well.”

“You’re right,” Emma said.

“We need to get back and tell Regina,” Ruby replied.

“Yeah, come on,” Emma stated as she turned to head back to town.

Red bumped her again.  She turned, this time, not as surprised that Ruby had turned into Red.  She gave her a quizzical look until Red bumped her, nuzzled her and then pointed her muzzle at her very hairy, wolfed out back.

“You want me to ride?”

Red just stared at her.  The conversation between them was silent, but it spoke volumes.  Red poked her again with her muzzle and eyed her own back.

“Fine, but we will not tell anyone that we did this.  And, yes, I understand that you are faster than me.  Can we just do this and not talk about it?  Okay…okay, I’m getting on,” Emma told her as she mounted her back.

She grabbed two hands full of hair after she holstered sidearm.  She leaned down and petted Red’s neck, grateful that she was an immensely big wolf when she did wolf out.  Red nosed her leg and then took off back towards town as fast as she could. 

 

“Good morning, Belle,” Regina said as she entered the library and found Belle behind the circulation desk.

Regina noted her bright blue eyes were dancing with a light that she hadn’t seen since they were in the Enchanted Forest.  She looked happy and even Regina had to admit that it looked good on her.  The royal blue dress that she was wearing brought out the color of her eyes, making them pop even more and making Belle’s emotions more readable.  Regina smiled at her.

She walked over to the desk and handed her the second cup of coffee, telling her, “It’s from Ruby.  She said that you might need it.  I’m sure that she doctored it up for you perfectly.”

Belle looked up at her and noticed the slight glint in Regina’s mahogany eyes.  She took the offered coffee cup and then a sip.  She smiled at Regina, knowing that Ruby had indeed prepared her the to-go cup how she liked her coffee.  She sat the cup down on the desk and looked up at Regina again. 

“Ruby said that you needed something translated,” Belle started.

“I do.  I might have found a similar book to the one that Rumple is using.  The only problem is that it isn’t in Elvish or any other magical language that I know.  I can’t decipher it.  I was hoping that you could help me with it,” Regina informed her.

“I will do my best.”

“That is all I ask,” Regina quipped.

“Before I begin, is there something else?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Is there something else that you need to tell me?” Belle inquired.

“Oh, yes, to be safe while you are translating it, don’t speak the words aloud.  I am not sure about the language, but I am sure that if you speak it, you might enact the spell.  As of right now, I don’t know what all the spells in that book do.  I would hate for you to accidentally conjure something that we can’t handle very well or quickly,” Regina explained.

“Yes, we wouldn’t want that.”

Belle held her hand out for the book.  She flipped through the pages quickly and stopped on a single page with little writing.  She read it and then looked up at Regina.

“Where did you find this?” Belle asked her.

“It was buried in my collections.  I have no idea where I actually got it or if someone just gave it to me.  Why?  What’s wrong?”

“I know what Rumple is trying to do,” Belle said quickly.

She practically ran around the circulation desk and grabbed Regina’s hand.  She didn’t wait for Regina to protest.  She pulled her down the hallway and to a back room where she kept some of the magical tomes that found.  They were mostly books that she didn’t want getting in the wrong hands or out of town if for some reason, somehow they managed to get out of the library without her knowing about it. 

“What room is this?” Regina asked her as Belle hurriedly sat at the table inside it.

“This is where I keep all the magical and spell books that people have brought me since you let me reopen the library, or they are books that I found in here that shouldn’t be in general circulation.  Take a look at some of them.  You’ll agree with my assessment.”

Regina did indeed look around the stacks in that room.  The titles weren’t all bad but they were all spell books or spoke of spells in such a way that a lay man could attempt to do magic.  She was glad that someone else was looking out for the magical well-being for the town.

“Does Rumple know about this?”

“No, I never told him.  I didn’t see the point.  Most of the books he has copies of himself.  The others I knew that he didn’t need to be playing with.  As much as we all were learning to deal with our duality once the curse broke, he didn’t the need the power that some of the volumes possess.  He definitely doesn’t need them, now,” Belle told her looking up from the book.

“I agree.”

“Can you get me some paper and pen?” Belle asked her, looking back down at the pages before her and not seeing Regina waving her hand at the table.

A legal pad and a pen appeared just to her side.  If Belle was surprised by the gesture, she didn’t make it known.  She just picked up the pen and started scribbling on the page.  Regina watched her for a few minutes and then realized that she wasn’t going to talk.  Belle needed the silence in order to work the translation.  Regina let out a quiet sigh and began to peruse the stacks, again.

It was just a few minutes later that Regina saw her stop writing out of the corner of her eyes.  She turned to face Belle and saw the horrified look on her face.  When she gave Belle a quizzical look, Belle passed the legal pad across the table near to where Regina was standing.  Regina leaned over and picked up the pad, reading the words quickly that Belle had written before setting it back on the table.

“Are you sure?” Regina asked her.

“Yes,” Belle answered.

Regina sighed.  She sat down in the chair next to her at the table hard.  She sighed again.

“I know this is bad, Regina, but how do we stop him?” Belle asked her.

“I don’t know that we can.”

“We have to.  He can’t get away with this.  It would erase everyone.  This is worse than what Pan did.  Why can’t he see that he is more like his father than he cares to admit?”

“Because we all fear that we will turn into horrors of our parents,” Regina said knowingly.  “Sometimes, the things we fight against the most makes into the thing we hate.  Instead of being a man and admitting defeat, he is turning to power and magic to get what he wants.  It has always been what Rumple does.  It is what makes him the Dark One.  He has given into the darkness of magic and he can’t function without it.  To him, it is a cure-all.”

“And for you?” Belle asked.

“I learned my lesson the hard way.  I thought that magic would give me what I wanted, but all it did was make me lonelier.  Sure, I found Emma in the end, but it was a long and hard road to get there.  I cursed an entire realm in our world to get my happy ending.  I had been warned that the curse wouldn’t give me what I wanted, but it ultimately did.  My thirst for revenge against Snow and the power that I had there caused me to come here and find her, fall in love, and have a family.  I will not let that be undone,” Regina vowed.

“But, you said that you learned your lesson.”

“Yes, I learned that magic comes with a price and most of the time it is very steep.  I killed my own father to enact the curse.  I tried to kill Snow so many times that she went to Rumple for help.  He made it so I couldn’t hurt them in Fairy Tale Land.  I couldn’t cause them pain.  He did it to cause me pain so I would do the curse.  I let him use me because of my want for revenge and now because he doesn’t have what he wants, he is going to undo it all.  Uh-uh, I don’t think so.”

Belle smiled at her.  She knew that Regina was a formidable opponent and she was glad that she was on her side.  Seeing this more relaxed and emotionally responsible Regina made Belle realize why they were becoming friends.  They understood the darkness of the world like no one else could and they both embraced it in their own way.  Belle married it.  Regina used it.

“What are you going to do?” Belle asked her.

“I am going to have to talk to Will, Coraline and Emma.  I don’t know what else to do.  I know that Will is going to want to kill him out right and she has every reason to do it.  I can’t let her do that.  As much as I tell her that she can do it, I can’t let her do it,” Regina mused.

“Why not?”

“Because if she kills the Dark One, she becomes the Dark One.”

“Would that be so bad?” Belle asked her.

“In the beginning, probably not, but as the darkness consumes her…yes, it would be horrific.  Have you ever seen a Vulcannonian fight?  It is brutal.  Add the magic of her being a Were to the powers of darkness and she will be unstoppable.  She is damn near immortal now and invincible.  She would the greatest threat to all of…well...everything.  There would be no stopping her.  She would be the last and greatest of the Dark Ones.”

“Have you told her this?” Belle asked her.

“No, I haven’t.  I was hoping that we could just beat Rumple into submission, but now…now, we are going to have to fight him and there isn’t anyone in town that I am willing to give up to the darkness to take the death blow.  We all know the legends.  We all know the problems with the power of darkness.  Whoever kills him becomes the Dark One.  Are you willing to let anyone take that?  I’m sure as hell not,” Regina explained.

“I see your point.  But, what are we going to do?  We can’t let him do this spell.”

“I know.  We’ll have to find another way to stop him.  We’ve kept him from his goal this long.  We need to do it just a little while longer.  He hasn’t found all the ingredients that he needs.  We stopped him from that.  We just need to make sure that he doesn’t get it all,” Regina told her.

“And how do we do that?”  Belle inquired.

“We make sure that we know where all the ingredients are at all times.  I’ll send them over the line if I have to.  They can’t hurt anyone out there and he wouldn’t be stupid enough to cross the line to get them.  Even if he was, it wouldn’t matter.”

“Why not?”

“Because he couldn’t come back,” Regina said with a finality.


	36. Chapter 36

Rumple sat the table in the house that he used to share with Belle.  Now it was so empty.  There was no life in it.  She’d left him and taken anything that good with her.  He stared at the divorce papers.  He couldn’t believe that she had actually done it.  He could believe that Regina helped with it or even possibly coerced her into doing it, but never thought that she would follow through with it.  Couldn’t she see that he was doing this for them?  So they could be a family.

He shoved the papers across the table and began to cry.  He was losing everything and the only person that he could think to blame was Will.  She was the only one truly standing between him and what he ultimately wanted.  She was the only one powerful enough to truly fight him, but she hadn’t done anything to him directly…yet.  He could only wonder what it meant.  Then he figured that her coming to Storybrooke was her revenge for what he did to her people.  She was slowly convincing every one of his guilt and misdeeds.  She was telling them stories of horrors that they didn’t know he committed.  She was poisoning the populace against him.  She was taking everything that he held dear away.  He needed to stop her.  He needed to find a way and fast before Belle did something that they all might regret.

He knew that Belle was staying with Ruby.  He thought that he could talk to Ruby about the situation but he knew that Ruby didn’t like him.  It was a moot point to try to reason with the Wolf.  He wondered if he could try to talk to Emma again.  But, then he thought back to the day he tried to file a report about Belle being missing and/or stolen.  Emma hadn’t been very forth coming in helping him with her.  No, he knew that he was on his own and he wasn’t sure that he was going to like the outcome. 

He needed to get the portal open.  Once he did, he would be able to change the past the way he wanted it be.  He would be able to fix things and make them right, but he wondered at what cost.  He knew that as soon as Belle found out that she had been manipulated she’d leave him.  It would be a vicious cycle but he could have what he wanted. 

He looked over at the spell book.  He still needed Dragon’s Blood.  The fairies probably didn’t have any here in this realm, but he knew that they had other magical ingredients that he could use for other spells, spells to help him on his quest to get his family back.  He knew that at a direct approach to get them wouldn’t work.  He would have to find another way in. 

 

Ruby and Emma entered the library.  Emma was glad to see that she back in human form.  Ruby sniffed the air and grabbed Emma’s hand pulling her through the library back to the small room that Belle and Regina were in.  Just outside of the room, Emma pulled her back.

“Remember what I said, not a word,” Emma told her.

“Oh, yeah, like I want to tell Regina that you got to ride me.  Are you kidding?  There is no way that she would take that the right way.  I mean you know my sister, right?  Just forget it happened.  I am not going to tell her,” Ruby assured her.

They walked into the room.  Regina had her cell phone out and was just about to call them when she saw them walk in.  Belle looked up from the books she was using for the translation and gave Ruby a large smile.  Emma and Regina saw the smiles between them and smiled at them. 

“What did you find?” Regina asked them.

“It seems that Rumple was near the well, and that is where the ogre came from,” Ruby told them.

“Well, that doesn’t bode well,” Belle replied.

“What does it mean?” Emma asked.

“Was there anything else that you can tell me?” Regina asked.

“It looked like the ogre and Rumple got into a minor scuffle.  The ogre basically beat him down.  I could smell the sweat and fear from him against a tree trunk and its roots.  I don’t think that Rumple was controlling the ogre,” Ruby offered.

“If he wasn’t controlling it, who was?” Emma questioned.

“I don’t think anyone was,” Belle stated.

“How do you know that?” Emma inquired.

“The spell that Rumple used opened a portal to the Enchanted Forest.  The ogre must have come through.  We need to go to the well and see if it the portal is still open.  I am sure that we don’t want to deal with any more surprises from the other realm.”

“Do we know what he wants there?”

“He is trying to get ingredients that he can’t get here.  If he manages to go through the portal back to the Enchanted Forest, he will have an endless supply of goods that we don’t want him to have.  We have to close the portal,” Regina told them.

“What about Will?”

“What about her?” Regina replied.

“She’ll want to fight him as soon as she knows that Rumple caused this,” Emma stated.

“I know.  And that is why you can’t tell her.  She can’t know what Rumple has done.  This is my choice and I will take the blame for it if she ever finds out.  She can’t know, Emma.  I know that she is your friend, but she can’t,” Regina told her.

“Why not?”

“She’ll kill him,” Belle replied.

“And, would that be so bad?” Ruby asked them.

“Yes!!!” Belle and Regina answered together.

“Why?” Emma asked.

“Whoever kills the Dark One becomes the Dark One,” Belle replied.

“So, if Will kills him, she’d become the new Dark One…” Ruby started.

“…And, no one would be able to stop her,” Emma finished.

“Yes,” Regina said.

“Well, shit.  What are we going to do?  We have to stop him and we have to protect Will.  If we go close the portal at the well, she’ll know that Rumple was there and it was his fault.  We can’t let her go into the woods,” Emma told them.

“She senses him there.  She’ll figure it out on her own.  How do we keep her out of the woods?  Isn’t like we can forbid her from going in there?” Ruby asked.

“Actually I can,” Regina stated.

“You would use your Vulcannonian Contract to do that?” Belle asked her.

“If it protected her, yes, I would,” Regina replied.

“Then, do it,” Emma stated.

“I can also tell her as the Alpha of the pack.  She is my Beta.  She would have to fight me for position to go against me.  She won’t because Regina has already ordered her not to,” Ruby added, sitting down at the table.

“We are really going to do this?” Belle asked.

“Do you have a better idea?” Regina asked her.

“I just don’t think that it is fair that we are taking away her free will.  Ordering her because of constraints that she has to follow due to familial lines and magic contracts is the best we can do.  I don’t want anything to happen to her either, Regina, but we sure that this is the best way?”

“I don’t want to do this either, Belle.  But, we need to make sure that Will stays around.  I can’t let her go after Rumple no matter how bad I want her to deal with him.  If she kills him, she becomes the Dark One.  The only way that I know that we can do that is to forbid her to deal with him and not telling her the complete truth.  I know that this is going to piss her off, but I have ways of dealing with that.  Let me do this.  Ruby doesn’t need to throw her Alpha status around unless I can’t convince Will to do as ask.  It shouldn’t be a problem.  As long as she is town, she has to obey me,” Regina told her.

“Does she really?” Emma asked.

“Yes, it is part of the contract and the magic that it is bound with, Emma.  She has no choice.  She knows what will happen to her if she doesn’t obey the commands that I give her,” Regina told her, unsure of why Emma would be questioning her logic now.

“What about her relationship with Coraline?” Emma probed.

“What about it?”

“I know that you forbid her to date her, to have a relationship with her, and yet, she is still coming over to dinner tonight.  A dinner I might add that our daughter is making for her.  How do you explain that?” Emma asked her.

“I told her that she could go,” Regina stated quickly.

“Do you think that Will will try to rebel against your orders?” Belle asked.

“She only ever did once, and that wasn’t even completely,” Regina told them.

“She did?” Emma questioned.

“Yeah, that is how she got here,” Regina replied.

“Did you forbid her from leaving your employ?” Belled asked her.

“No, but she couldn’t disobey me.  She could leave freely and did often on pursuits of my interest.  But, she went to Rumple to get away from the Enchanted Forest and the confines of the contract.  It is the only act of rebellion that she ever did,” Regina told them.

“But, now that she likes Coraline…” Emma started.

“She has imprinted with Coraline,” Ruby added.

“She imprinted on Coraline and you are forbidding her to see her.  Do you think that is wise, Regina?  She is part Wolf and they cannot help who they imprint on,” Belle stated.

“Oh, trust, I know,” Regina said, making a slight gesture with her eyes towards Ruby.

“She wouldn’t go against you, Regina and you know that.  She backed down from Alpha status because you wanted it that way.  She gave up her line for you and you still question her loyalty.  What will she have to do for you to prove herself for Coraline?”

“Not die,” Regina replied in huff and left the room.

“What does she mean by that?” Ruby asked them.

Emma and Belle just looked at Ruby.  Belle couldn’t believe that she hadn’t put it together yet and Emma was fighting going after Regina to calm her down.  They both sighed.

“Seriously, someone going to tell what she meant by that?” Ruby asked again.

“Will isn’t in Coraline’s events of the future, Rubes,” Emma stated like it explained everything.

Ruby looked to Belle for a little more clarification.  It wasn’t that she was dumb; she just didn’t understand what they were saying.  She wasn’t as “fluent” in the time travel and Vulcannonian lore as they were. 

“Ruby, Coraline has never spoken of Will or any of her other nicknames.”

“So?”

“It means that Will isn’t there during the war with the Blackness.  If she isn’t there, then something either happened to her before the war or she was never there to begin with.  Regina is keeping her on a short leash for the protection of the family and to protect both Will’s and Coraline’s hearts.  Can’t you see that?” Belle questioned her.

“I don’t…wait, Will imprinted on Coraline.  If she did so as both a Wolf and Vulcannonian, then she would have been with Coraline in the future.  She wouldn’t have been surprised by who she was and she would have known who she was in Boston before Emma came to get her.  She doesn’t know though, does she?  Coraline doesn’t know that Will has imprinted on her?” Ruby asked them both, seriously worried for her cousin’s mental health.

“No, she doesn’t.  Regina has forbid her from telling Coraline.  She is still holding her to the confines of the contract.  She has to do as Regina asks of her and she has to defend Regina.”

“But, if Regina tells her to stay out of the forest…” Emma stated.

“She won’t be able to go after Rumple there,” Ruby stated.

“She’s trying to make sure that we all survive, but there has to be some sort of caveat.  We can’t all survive.  We know this.  We have to defeat the Blackness, but at what cost?  What is Regina really trying to do?  Who is she trying to protect?” Belle asked. 

“At the moment, I would think just Coraline, but even I am beginning to wonder about that,” Emma told them as she got up and left the room.

“Can we defeat Gold?” Ruby asked Belle.

“There are only two ways to do that,” Belle replied.

“And let me guess, they are both complicated,” Ruby stated.

“That would be an understatement.  If anyone kills him outright, they become the next Dark One.  And, I think that we can all agree that is not an acceptable outcome for anyone to do.  We know how easily the darkness of that power corrupts and causes not only the basest of wants, but selfishness, the quest for more power, and the ability to use magics that shouldn’t be tampered with ever.  Then, there is the option where we get him out of town.  If we do that, he can’t come back without a spell from Regina.  And, we both know that she won’t let him back in if she gets him banished.  But, once banished, he’ll have no power.  The dagger would remain here, but the power would still remain tied to Rumple.  If Rumple were to die in the Real World…we have no way of knowing what will happen to his power.  Worst case scenario that Regina and I came up with is that someone is town is selected by the Dark One’s powers to become the newest Dark One.  And, darkness seeks darkness,” Belle explained.

“It would choose Regina?”

“More than likely,” Belle stated.

“She is going on a suicide mission,” Ruby replied.

“Not really.  She is trying to stop Rumple.  She doesn’t care how it happens, but she cannot allow him to hurt her family.  I am afraid that she is going to challenge him herself and when she can’t defeat him outright, she’ll call upon Will to get him over the line,” Belle stated.

“Do you still have the dagger?” Ruby asked.

“Yes.”

“Then, don’t give it to either of them.  I’ll find another way to deal with Rumple.  I will not let him destroy this town for his damnable quest for power and you,” Ruby hissed.

“How?”

“I’ll throw him down the damned well and seal it, if I have to,” Ruby stated.

“That would only give him what he wants,” Belle stated.

“No, it won’t.  Without the dagger, he wouldn’t have his power there.  He would have access to magic, but no way to use it.  He needs the dagger in the other realm to be the Dark One as well.  Sending him back to the Enchanted Forest without the dagger would be a death sentence and he knows it.  He’ll come to you soon for it.  If he is really is trying to get to the other realm for ingredients for his ill-fated spell, he’ll need it on the other side of that well.  I, for one, don’t plan on letting that happen,” Ruby explained.

“Do you think that it’ll work?”

“I have no idea, but I need to talk to Regina.  I need to make sure that she isn’t planning something stupid.  We both know how she acts when she doesn’t get her way.”

“Yeah, she starts wars that destroy nations,” Belle quipped.

“Well, let’s hope that it doesn’t go that far, again,” Ruby told her and she went after Emma and Regina with her plan for dealing with Rumple.

 

Coraline was in the kitchen when Henry got home.  He came in the kitchen and sat at the bar.  He watched his baby sister work.  It was amazing how much she was like Emma and Regina, but he was grateful that she took after Regina in the kitchen.  He watched as she effortlessly moved about the room.  It was almost like she had lived for there for years instead of weeks.  She knew the kitchen inside and out.  He couldn’t believe how fast she moved around making sure that everything was just how she wanted it before she moved on to the next task at hand.

“Do you want a snack?” she asked not looking up from where she was cutting up some vegetables on a wooden cutting board.

“As long as it isn’t healthy, sure,” Henry replied with a big smile.

“You never change, Big Brother,” she quipped.

She quickly went back over to the fridge.  She pulled out some more ingredients for her dinner and some ice cream out of the freezer.  She dished him up a very healthy amount in a bowl and gave it to him.  His smile got larger and she was afraid that it might crack his face.

“Calm down, bro.  It isn’t like you are getting to eat for dinner.  I’m just letting you have your dessert first is all.  And, if you tell Mom, I’ll never cover for you again.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I think Mom told you to go home after this morning.  We both know that you didn’t.  You went down the wharf to see them break up that ogre.  And, don’t worry about lying to me about it.  I can smell him on you.  Eat that up and go wash up before Mom and Ma get home.  We both know that if you don’t, she’ll ground you for at least two weeks this time,” Coraline told him.

“Thanks for the head’s up.  Gosh, I wish you’d been around when I was younger.  We could have had a lot of fun together,” he said as he shoveled the ice cream in his mouth.

She laughed as she returned the ice cream to the fridge.  She knew that he was right.  They would have a lot of fun after she was born, but she knew what he meant.  If they had actually been closer in age, they would have been a force to be reckoned with in Storybrooke.

“You have no idea the amount of trouble we would have been,” Coraline said.

“Oh, yeah, really?”

“Let’s just put it this way.  Mom wasn’t exactly happy that you were teaching me how to shoot a bow at three years old. Things were different in the Enchanted Forest.  We had to be more careful about certain things.  There weren’t drug stores to go get certain things to help us heal or get better.  Mom and Ma could only do so much with certain illnesses.  Ma used her lighter magic to heal bumps, bruises and scrapes, but we still got scarred, Henry.”

“Wouldn’t doubt it.  You’re more like Ma, though in that respect.  You’re a more physical person.  I am not.  So, I’m sure that I liked hanging with you because I didn’t have to live up to the Princely title,” Henry said.

“There was that, Henry, but there was more to it.  You are highly protective of me.  You have always been as far as I can remember.  After everything with Neal…I could understand why, but that didn’t mean that we didn’t have fun.  We used to play hide and seek in the castle all the time. Half the time, Mom would have to find us because we would lose each other.”

“Sounds like fun…wait, what happened to Neal?  You talking about my Dad?  Or, are you talking about Uncle Neal?” Henry asked her.

“It doesn’t matter, right now, Henry.  Just…you need to be a kid while you can.  Look, I know that you aren’t a kid. You’re a teenager, but you need to enjoy this time. You need to do everything that you can, because when we get sent back to the Enchanted Forest and Fairy Tale Land things are going to be different,” she told him.

“Yeah, how so?”

“You think Mom is strict now,” Coraline started to tell him.

“I am sure that she is very strict there.  I guess I can kinda understand that, too. She would have to be.  We don’t understand that world.  Ma has only been there twice and both times she made lots of mistakes,” Henry replied.

She smiled as she moved her chopped vegetables into a sauté pan.  She knew that incidents that Henry was referencing.  It was one of the reasons that she was afraid of what would happen if she came back to Storybrooke to affect the future.  She had also laughed at her Ma’s antics.  It was one of the few things that Emma had written about to help them preserve the past.  There was so much that she learned just from reading her mothers’ writings and journals.

“You do know about those, right?” he asked her.

“Yeah, I do.  I remember reading your copy of Star Wars, well, your rendition of it.  I spent many a night dreaming of soaring through the stars, but I had to laugh when Ma introduced herself to the Evil Queen as Princess Leia.  I’m glad that no one got the reference when she was in the past, but I am sure that they all had a good laugh about it when she told them all the truth.”

“Oh, we did.  I remember when she came back with Hook to the diner.  We didn’t know that she had been gone so long.  It had only been like an hour or so for us.  But, she started flipping through the book and pointed at one of the drawings.  She pointed a strange looking couple at King Midas’ castle for Abigail’s wedding to Charming, before it didn’t happen.”

“Oh, yeah?  What did they say?  How did she explain it then?” Coraline asked him as she grabbed a pack of chicken out of the fridge and began to quarter is on a new cutting board.

“She points at the drawing and tells them that they are Princess Leia and Prince Charles.  She then tells them how she was at the ball and dancing with Hook, but everyone kept looking at them strangely because Emma didn’t know how to do the dance.  Then, she reminded Grandpa how he got that scar on his chin.  I remember Grandpa looking at her weird.”

“Grams hit him with the jeweled box right?”

“Yeah, but Emma shouldn’t have known that.  She kept telling them things that weren’t in the book but they remembered.  It wasn’t until Ma told Snow why she was hugged her after she turned back into herself from the ladybug.  That was when Snow believed them, plus there was the fact that she brought Marion back to Robin in the future, here,” Henry stated.

“Yeah, I remember reading Mom’s take on that little fact,” Coraline stated.

“Not their best moments together, I’ll admit.  But, they got over it.  I think it helped Mom realize that Robin wasn’t really her True Love.  It hurt her, but Emma spent years apologizing to her for it.  I think that is why Ma fell in love with her,” Henry told her.

“It sure is,” Emma said joining them in the kitchen.

“Hey, Ma,” Coraline and Henry both said in unison.

“Question, kiddos, have either of you seen your Mom?” Emma asked them.

“Not since this morning,” Henry replied.

“What about you, Coraline?  You haven't seen your Mom since you left downtown?  I need to talk to her.  I’ve got an idea, but I’m not sure how good it is,” Emma told her.

“Nope, Ma, I haven’t.  She wasn’t at the grocery store and she hasn’t come home that I know of.  I would have felt it if she had.  Maybe she went to the wharf to check on the progress of dealing with the ogre, but somehow I doubt that.  She knew that Will has it under control.  Hmmm…Did you check the mayoral office?” Coraline asked her.

“Not yet.  I’ll try there next.  She kinda got upset earlier when we were planning with Belle and Ruby.  I’ll find her.  Dinner smells good by the way.  I know that Will will like it.  I’ll be back soon.  And, no more ice cream before dinner, Henry.  Go wash the bowl and hide the evidence if you don’t want your Mom to know about it.  If you see her before I do, have her call me, please,” Emma stated, kissed both of their head and headed back out the kitchen and out the house.

“Well, that was interesting,” Henry stated.

“She’s right.  Go wash you bowl in the sink.  And, don’t even think of putting it in the dishwasher.  Mom will know that way,” Coraline told him.

“You can’t just magic it clean?” Henry asked.

“No, now go,” Coraline commanded, laughing at Henry and his attempt to get her to do something magical in the house.

 

Regina was sitting at the docks.  She needed to talk to Will.  She needed to tell her to stay away from the woods and the forest for the time being.  She would have to make her understand.  She couldn’t explain it all, but she would tell her enough.  She watched the boats going round and round the remnants of the ogre. 

She was amazed at how quickly Will had organized the clean-up and further destruction of the dead ogre.  She knew that she shouldn’t be because she knew how militaristic Will’s mind functioned.  She was good at devising plans and follow through.  She knew how to order people to get done what needed to get done, how she needed to it get done and when she needed to get it done.  She was also not afraid to send someone to their death if it meant protecting the mission. 

Regina had learned the value of life and friendship.  She wasn’t as callus anymore.  Before she could have sent an entire village to slaughter and not think twice about it.  Now, she was having a problem thinking about Emma or Coraline wielding a sword in her protection.  She didn’t want anyone close to get hurt. 

“Coming to check up on me?” Will asked her as she down next to Regina.

“No, I needed to think.”

“Still like to stare out into the horizon, I see,” Will replied trying for a bit of levity between them.

“Will…”

“What are your orders, my Queen?” Will asked, knowing that this wasn’t a social visit.

“I don’t know.  I am conflicted and with good reason.  I am not sure that you will obey me.”

“I will, Regina and you know that.  Talk to me.  Tell me what is bothering you,” Will said.

“It’s Rumple,” she replied.

“What about him?” Will questioned.

“He was around when the ogre showed up.”

“I’ll kill him,” Will said quietly, standing and Regina could feel the hate radiating off of her.

“Sit down.”

“Regina…” Will warned.

“Sit down!” Regina commanded her.

Will sat down, again.  Regina turned and looked into her blue eyes.  She could see the fire burning there and she knew that she would have to do something to quench it.

“You cannot go after him,” Regina stated.

“Why not?!?”

“You just can’t,” Regina replied.

“Regina…we both know that I am the only one that can hurt him.  Why wouldn’t you let me fight him?  Why aren’t you trying to stop him?  You know that he was there with the ogre.  He might have been the one that unleashed it on the town.  Hell, we all know that he wants you out of the way.  He has no more use for you.  He hates Coraline.  He tolerates Emma.  So, give me a good enough reason that I shouldn’t hunt him down right now.  He needs to pay for his crimes, all them, not just the ones against me.  This isn’t some personal vendetta.  However, I know that I won’t cry when he dies,” Will explained.

“You can’t kill him.”

“Who said anything about killing him?  I want to maim him.  I want to make him hurt.  Death is too easy for him.  He is immortal like me.  Life is a more fitting punishment,” Will said.

“I agree with you on that.  But, I can’t risk you.  I can’t risk you killing him.”

“What is so damn important about him living?” Will demanded.

“If you kill him, you become him,” Regina finally told her.

“That’s what you’re afraid of?  You’re scared that I’ll become the Dark One.  That is why you don’t want me going after him?”

“Yes, Will, it is.  I need you alive.  I need you healthy.  I need you to be there in future.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“Think about the stories that Coraline has told us about our future.  Think about what she has told us through memories and what we have seen curtesy of the dream catcher.  Will, you aren’t there.  Coraline didn’t know who you were.  She doesn’t know about Vulcannonians.  There was no one there to teach her.”

“So?” Will asked, still not completely understanding Regina’s line of thinking.

“You’ve imprinted on her, right?”

“You know that I have.”

“I haven’t released you.”

“I know, so what of it?” Will asked her.

“I will release you on one condition.”

“What’s that?” Will questioned, tipping her chin in a defiant manner.

“You cannot kill Rumple.”

“Regina, you don’t know what you are asking?”

“I do.”

“How can you ask me that?  He destroyed my entire family…my entire nation.  He is trying to destroy you and your family.  How can you ask me to not stop him?”

“I didn’t say anything about not stopping him.  I simply said that you cannot kill him.  Other than that, you can do whatever you want to him,” Regina clarified.

“If I do this, you’ll release me and give your blessing for me and Coraline?”

Regina stared out at the ocean.  She didn’t know what to really say to that.  She knew that Will will be able to protect her daughter, but she knew that Will loved her.  It should be all that mattered, but it wasn’t.  Regina had to think like a queen and not a mother.

“If we survive this, we’ll see,” Regina told her.

 

Charming was in the Sheriff’s station filling out paperwork.  Grumpy had come in earlier and given him a complete report on the clean-up efforts that the dwarves had led.  He was happy that Doc and Sneezy had taken care of the few injuries that were sustained and that no one had to go to the hospital for more substantial treatment.  He was just finishing up the report when Happy came in the office.

“Everything is done, Charming.  We’re going to head back down to the mines to make sure that Rumple isn’t trying to steal the dust.  Sleepy and Bashful have been standing guard since yesterday.  It’s time to let them get some rest.”

“Let me know, if you need our help, Happy.  We can supply some townspeople if you need a break.  I am sure that someone will be happy to help you out.  Just let us know,” Charming said.

“We will.  Take it easy.  Hi-ho, it’s off to work I go,” Happy replied as he left the office.

Charming just smiled at him as he walked away.  Emma walked in and sat down in the chair at the desk in front of the one that Charming was sitting at.  She looked worried and he could tell.

“What is it, Princess?” he asked with some mirth in his voice.

“I think that Regina is going to do something stupid and I need your help,” Emma told him.

“She isn’t going to start another war is she?” he asked suddenly very serious.

“I don’t know.  She might.  She feels threatened by Rumple and we both know what she does when she feels threatened.  She lashes out.  And, when she doesn’t get her way, she destroys things.  I don’t know if the town will survive if she goes up against him personally.”

“It won’t,” Charming said in agreement.

“We need to stop her.”

“How do you propose we do that?”

“I don’t know.  How did you stop her before?  What did you use?” Emma asked him.

“Rumple,” he replied flatly.

“Well, that isn’t going to work,” Emma quipped.

“No, I should say not.  I’ll talk to your mother.  Maybe Snow can talk some sense into her.  I doubt it, but they have gotten closer these past few years.  Maybe she just needs another perspective to help her see things,” Charming said.

“I hope so.  I am really worried about her, Dad.  I’ve only seen her like this when I showed up with Henry, years ago.  She is on a mission and she isn’t going to stop until she gets the outcome that she wants,” Emma replied.

“I know, Emma.  But, this time it isn’t just her family that is threatened.  It is her town.  She is taking this very personally and if I was in her shoes, I would be, too.  I know that it isn’t what you want to hear, but we will do our best to help you and help her.”

“I love her too much to lose her, David,” Emma said quietly.

“I understand.  And, trust me when I say so does your mother.  We will do what we can,” he told her again, hoping this time it would alleviate her fears.

“Thanks,” Emma replied.

“You’ll be fine, Emma.  Everything will work itself out.  It always does.  We will deal with everything.  We always do, Emma.  We aren’t going to stop fighting.  We don’t know how to give up,” Charming explained.

“I’ve noticed,” Emma said.

He smiled at her.  He knew that his family would always fight to defend the people and themselves.  They would stand up for what was right.  He knew that Emma knew that they would all stand behind her and Regina.  He also knew that they would do anything they could to provide a better future for Coraline, Henry and Neal. 

“Dad?” Emma asked.

“What, Princess?” he replied.

“How’s Neal?”

“He’s good.  He’s becoming more of a handful for your mother.  He is amazing.  And, the more time that I spend with him, the more I wish I had it with you.  I know that we have apologized for sending you here, Emma, but your mother was right,” David stated.

“About what?”

“That we should have fought more to keep you.  We missed so much with you.  As much as you are our daughter, you are more our friend.  We are getting to experience parenthood with him.”

“I know.  I am happy for you, David.  We’ve already talked about this,” Emma started.

“I know.  I am proud of you, but I can’t help but wonder.  We always find a way, no matter what.  I am giving you my word, Emma.  We are going to find a way to stop it.  I don’t care if I have to kill Rumple myself.”

“You can’t do that!” Emma yelled at him.

“I know the consequences of the act, Emma.  I am not a fool.  I am just telling you that if it comes to that, I will take the plunge.  Do you know why?” David asked her.

“No.”

“True Love’s kiss will cure any curse.  Being the Dark One is just the strongest curse on an individual from our realm.  I have no doubt that if I make that sacrifice that you or mother would be able to break the curse and bring me back.  I don’t want to really try it if we don’t have to do it.  I am just offering it as an option,” David told her.

“Well, I am going to make sure that we don’t have to do that.”

“Why?” David asked, wondering why Emma wouldn’t take it as an option.

“You only have half a heart, David.  We don’t know what would happen to Snow, to Mom, if you were to be infected with the curse of the Dark One.  I cannot take that chance.  You cannot afford to take that chance.  Mom can’t let you do it.  I am not going to let you sacrifice yourself like that.  It isn’t just your life that you hold in your heart, but hers as well.  If you become the Dark One, who will raise Neal?” Emma questioned him.

“I hadn’t thought of that,” David replied.

“I know, Dad.  I know. I’ve even thought about doing it myself.  The only problem with that is Regina won’t let me.  She won’t let me.  I just hope that we don’t have to kill Rumple.  I hope that we can find another way,” Emma tells him.

“I might have found a way,” Will states as she entered the Sheriff’s office with Regina in tow.


	37. Chapter 37

Coraline was putting the finishing touches on her dinner when everyone came in the house.  She looked up from the casserole dish as all the ladies were arguing and it didn’t sound like it was going to stop soon.  She watched as they bypassed the kitchen and went out onto the back porch.  Charming smiled at her as he came in the kitchen, two six packs in hand and placed them in the fridge.

“I’d stay in here, kiddo.  That might take a while.  I hope that dinner will keep,” he stated.

“What are they arguing about?” Coraline asked.

“Something about Rumple and the line,” Charming told her.

She didn’t wait for him to finish.  She threw the oven mitts on the counter and covered the casserole back up.  She was out the back kitchen door in a flash.  She stood there for a minute watching Emma, Regina, Belle, Ruby and Will argue.

“Hey,” she stated quietly trying to get into the conversation.

She didn’t get so much as a look from anyone but Belle.  She wasn’t surprised by that though.  Belle was the only other person besides Regina that was always acutely aware of where she was.  It must be a mothering thing, she mused. 

“Hello?” she tried again to no avail.

Finally, she’d had enough of their bickering.  She needed to know what they were thinking about.  She had been cooking all day for this dinner and she hadn’t heard any of the ideas that they were fighting about now.  She needed more information to see if she could offer them any more information. 

“HELLO?!?!?” she screamed.

Suddenly five head whipped around to stare at her.  Belle gave her an amused look.  They all had an annoyed look on their faces.  She stood there waiting for them to acknowledge her before she said anything further. 

“Yes, Darling?” Regina asked, realizing what her daughter was doing.

“Well, hello, Mom, Ma, Aunt Ruby, Belle.  Hey there, Will.  Nice of you to come home for dinner.  Now, I don’t know what you are arguing about and right now, I don’t care.  We will talk about it later. Right now, you are all going to go inside and clean up for dinner.  Once dinner is over, since Gramps brought over some beer, we will sit outside away from everyone else and will discuss whatever revelations that you all have come up with today.  Understood?”

“Cora-“

“No, Mom, we will enjoy this family dinner.  I’ve spent all day making it.  I understand that Will defeated the ogre this morning and you have all been doing research in various capacities around town.  You need to eat.  We can talk later,” Coraline told her.

“She is definitely your daughter,” Emma said leaning towards Regina.

“Ruby can you help Henry set the table, please?” Coraline asked, giving Emma a look.

“Sure, Kid, no problem,” she answered going back inside.

“I’ll go make sure that everyone is here,” Belle stated following her.

Will, Regina and Emma stood there.  Coraline was glaring at them.  She knew that Regina wasn’t going to let something go before dinner, and they just enough time to talk about it now.

“What is it, Mom?” Coraline asked her.

“We may have found a way to stop Rumple.”

“And, I’m not going to like it, am I?” Coraline asked in response.

“Probably not, Kid,” Emma replied.

“Does someone die?”

“No,” Regina asked.

“Then what is it?”

“We want to push him over the line and keep the dagger,” Will stated.

“And, that will keep him out?”

“We don’t know.  He’s come back before, but he tricked his way in.  This time, I want to make it a little more permanent,” Regina replied.

“Okay,” Coraline replied.

“That’s it.  Just okay?  You aren’t going to ask how?” Emma asked her.

“You’ve already told me that I am not going to like it.  You’ve stated that no one will die.  And, I told you that we are going to have this family dinner before anything else is discussed.  So, do you want to piss me off or do you want dinner?” Coraline asked.

“Yup, definitely Regina’s daughter,” Will stated, quietly.

“I heard that,” Coraline replied.

“I had no doubt that you would.”

“We need to move quickly,” Regina stated.

“We need to eat dinner, damn it,” Coraline countered.

“She’s right, Regina.  Let’s eat and then we can talk about the issues.  Let’s go eat,” Emma said.

Coraline walked back across the porch to the kitchen door.  She opened it and held it for them to enter, giving them each a pointed look as they entered the house for dinner.  Regina stopped at the door and stared into eyes so much like her own.  She saw the determination and fire in her daughter’s eyes.  She smiled at her and leaned towards Coraline’s head.  She gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and went inside, immediately heading to the dining room.  Coraline stood in the doorway for a few more seconds before getting the meal together and heading to the dining room to join them all for dinner.

 

Dinner was a quiet affair.  Anytime that someone tried to stir the conversation towards Rumple and his connection to the ogre, Coraline shut them down.  She made it abundantly clear that this was _her_ dinner with _her_ family and that was all that needed to be said.  Everyone at the table had to agree that she resembled Regina in that moment and they were going to spoil it for her.

Charming was amazed at his granddaughter.  She had charisma and she could command an audience.  She reminded him of a younger Snow at time still trying to find her way and ruling a kingdom.  But, he also saw Emma, headstrong and defensive, in her actions.  He knew that her magic and her emotional side most likely came from Regina, but he didn’t care.  She had become a well-rounded woman even without their direct influences. 

They were all fighting to save a future, her future, their future, but none of them understood the horrors of it like Coraline did.  Charming uniquely understood that.  He’d grown up a stable boy and farmer.  He was thrust into royal by King George when his twin had been killed by the dragon.  But, for all his time as royalty, he never let it get to him.  He never flaunted it and he was proud that Coraline didn’t either.  She hid from it at times like Emma did.

“Coraline, will you tell me more about the people in charge in your time?” Charming asked.

Snow and Regina both turned to look at him like he had four heads.  They all knew that Charming knew that Belle and Red were in charge.  They didn’t understand what he was getting at.  Emma thought she understood, but she wanted to see what Coraline had to say before she added her two cents into the conversation he was starting.

“They were all good people.  Mostly villagers and farmers, though.  All the royalty or those with royal blood had been killed, or so we thought.  There were a few knights, but they listened to the Council Elders only,” Coraline replied.

“Council Elders?” Snow asked.

“The Council Elders were the only two survivors of the royal courts and were friends of both the royals and villagers alike,” Coraline stated.

“Belle and Red,” Regina added.

“Yeah,” Coraline replied.  “They survived the final attack with their ‘daughter’…me.  No saw fit to question it.  Retreating to Rumple’s castle made sense because it was protected by magic.  Because she was the granddaughter of Granny, Red stood for the villagers.  Because she was once a princess and knew what would be needed to keep the people healthy and protected, Belle stood as well.  No one thought it odd.  They were actually relieved.”

“Why?” Snow asked.

“Sometimes people are like sheep.  Wait, Gramps, let me explain.  They are mostly okay on their own, but they need someone to step up and lead them.  They crave the sense of belonging and protection that a leader gives them.  It is innate.  We all do it.  Red and Belle were both on the Council, so the Council, or what was left of it, became the ruling body of the survivors.”

“Did they ever stop coming?” Regina asked.

“No, new refugees came in almost daily from everywhere.  Tales of the reigns of the all the greats, including the both of you, Mom and Grams, were told at night by the dimming cooking fires in the beginning.  As soon as a printing press was found, the stories were collected and writing down for future generations.  It was a way to give hope to the people that a royal among them would stand up and fight for them again and they would be prosperous against the Blackness.  I used to hang on every word when Belle would read me the stories or tell them to us in masses.  I went to school like every other kid that made it there.  Belle taught most of the subjects with a few others that helped.  Red never stopped her expeditions to find survivors, always leaving clues for others to find their way to us.”

“I kept going out and looking.  Wasn’t that dangerous?  Why would I leave?” Ruby asked.

“You felt the need to, I guess.  And, you always did at the full moon.  You’d tell us that you were just going to run in the forest.  In the beginning that may have been what it was, but then you caught scent of something.  Each month you brought something home.  Weeks after, refugees would come crawling in.  I would see the look on your face.  Sometimes they would come in with talismans or crude maps.  Things Belle and I figure out that you’d left behind for others, but it was the look in your eyes that gave you away.  That and when we found a rough realm map that you’d made in one of the rooms that only the Council and the knights were allowed to use.”

“What was the map?” Belle asked.

“She’d marked where she’d looked and where the refugees came from.  Sometimes she would send knights out to check the areas again in between the moons.  But it was always based on who came through the gates that month and what stories that told us.  Stories that Belle catalogued for review and historical purposes, she was single handedly refilling the library.”

“How did the community work?” Charming asked.

“For the collective group.  There was no money and bartering was done only between neighbors.  The farmers grew crops and tended the fields.  Everyone had a job and everyone earned their meals.  Housing wasn’t an issue.  The castle was big enough in the beginning that each family was given their own room or set of rooms depending on the size.  The court yards were turned into fields.  When we had to leave the castle grounds for whatever reason, the knights were always there to protect us.  It wasn’t a utopia, but we all did what we had to do to survive.”

“There was no crime?” Emma asked.

“Oh, there was but it was dealt with swiftly and efficiently.”

“Want to elaborate on that?” Regina asked.

“There was stealing, but those that were caught were just made to work more to pay back for what they took.  They would have to do their job and then go work for whoever they stole from.  Stealing wasn’t the worst thing that happened, but it was the most prevalent,” Coraline said.

“What was the worst?” Will asked, suddenly very interested in the story being told.

“There was one incident when I was younger.  I think that I was roughly twelve.  I was old enough to know what was going on, but I was still young enough to be shielded from it as well.  I remember going to the trial, but I was taken away at certain points.  It didn’t seem strange to me, because all the other children had been as well.”

“Do you know what the charge was?” Emma asked, curious as to what would make them hide it from the children who had already seen so much devastation.

“Not really, but if I had to guess it was something worse than murder.  The accused was executed after being found guilty.  But, his execution was different than any other I had seen or read about.  His sentence was swift and fiercely carried out.”

“What was it?” Regina asked, now just as curious as Emma and Charming.

“He had to run with the wolves,” Coraline stated.

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Snow replied naively.

“You have no idea, do you?” Coraline asked, looking at her grandmother stupidly.

“She doesn’t mean running with the wolves like you might have, Snow,” Ruby started to tell her.

“It is an older custom for area of the Enchanted Forest where Wolves lived among the people as equals.  For capital crimes, men were sent to the Wolves naked on the night of the full moon.  They were sent to their deaths.  The Wolves would tear the men limb from limb and consume them.  The head Alpha of the region would bring back evidence that the sentence had been carried out.  If someone managed to make it past the Wolves to the so-called safe zone beyond their borders, they were considered exiled and would be killed if they ever crossed the borders back.  No one ever came back and neither did this man, I assume,” Regina explained.

“No, Mom, he didn’t.”

“What is worse than murder?” Snow asked.

Emma leaned over and whispered one four letter word.  The look on Snow’s face said it all.  The questioning in her eyes told them all she understood and Coraline just nodded her head.  Ruby sighed knowing what the crime was for that punishment.  A crime that isn’t respected in many societies, let alone those of the Wolf for them it was instant death when found guilty.

“Do you remember anyone else being charged to run with the Wolves?” Belle asked.

“No, it was the only instance.  The punishment fit the crime and it was enough to be talked about in hushed corners and whispers that no one else dared.  Murder wasn’t even rampant.  Like I said, we were all too busy trying to survive and find our place among the community.  Children didn’t always follow into their parents’ trades, but they would find their place.  Apprenticeships were plentiful and Belle had a few as scribes and printers.  They did most of the work during the day while she was at the school or doing research with Red.”

“Were you happy?” Regina asked.

“For the most part,” Coraline answered.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I didn’t have my family,” Coraline stated.

“But, you will,” Will replied firmly.

“I hope so, because as much as I was surrounded by love and people.  I was still alone.  I was untouchable because of who my mothers were.  Once, I realized who I really was thru stories and pictures, I knew that I had to do something.  My education didn’t stop in the classroom.  Belle had been teaching me to lead and be a princess while Red was teaching me to hunt, fight, and track like a knight or a Wolf.  I was being groomed to take over because I was the rightful heir to the throne of this motley crew of misfit refugees and I wanted to give them their kingdom back.”

“So what did you do?” Charming asked her.

“I got myself captured and magicked myself here,” she told him flatly.

Regina looked across her dining room at her daughter.  She could see the tell-tale fire in her eyes.  She didn’t want to say more on the subject and after what Regina had witnessed due to the dreamcatcher, she didn’t want Coraline talking about it either.  That was something that only mother and daughter needed to share and it was something that would haunt Regina’s thoughts and her nightmares for years to come as she watched a baby Coraline grow up, hopefully, into the woman before her.  The silent conversation that they had only with their eyes spoke volumes to Will and Emma as they watched both women agree to not talk about what happened in that prison in the future. 

“Well that is a very Charming thing to do,” Snow quipped quickly, noticing the thickness in the air and the elephant in the room that no one was going to explain.

“It really is,” Regina replied.

Snow looked at Regina and saw the thanks in her eyes.  She knew that Regina was warming up to them and though she might never take the Charming name or be a true “White,” Regina would eventually be her daughter-in-law.  Their truce had been forming for years and the more time that Snow spent with Regina and Emma, the more that Snow was beginning to understand the intense emotional side of Regina that she had been blinded to as a child.

“So, what is your plan for Rumple?” Charming asked, now that dinner was over and Henry had gone upstairs to bed. 

“We are going to lead him out of town,” Ruby stated.

“How?”

“I don’t know yet, but if it comes to it, I’ll use the dagger,” Regina stated.

“And, what makes you think that he will follow you?” Snow asked her.

“He wants something from us and while we might not know what it is yet, we aren’t going to let him find it.  He is willing to rip this world apart to get what he wants.  I am not going to let that happen.  We have fought too long and too hard to let our town be destroyed by him.  He once understood community, family and doing the right thing,” Regina explained.

“He did, but trying to get him out of town isn’t going to be easy,” Charming stated.

“No, it isn’t.  But, do you really think that he would try to stop us?  We are the most powerful witches that any realm has ever known.  I think that between Emma, Coraline and I we could force him to leave town.  And, if we need more muscle, then we have an Alpha Wolf and a Vulcannonian Warrior Princess on our side.  He doesn’t stand a chance,” Regina said.

“And, if that doesn’t work?” Snow asked.

“Then, we go down fighting,” Emma told her. “I am not going to lose my family.  I am not going to let this town die because of one selfish man.  I am going to stand up and I am going to fight.”

“So am I,” Ruby added.

“As will I,” Will stated.

Belle just stared at all of them.  She wasn’t sure what to say.  They had talked briefly back at the library but nothing had been set in stone, or so she thought.  She knew what they were planning, but this was just too much.  She couldn’t watch them all march off to their deaths.  She would have to do something to make Ruby see that this was a suicide mission.  No one who ever went up against Rumple ever survived.

“Why push him over the line?” Snow stated.

“Because it is the only way we can neutralize him,” Coraline told her.

“Neutralize him?” Charming asked.

“Whoever kills him where there is magic, becomes him.  We can’t let that happen. I know that we would be able to defeat him this way.  Once he is over the line, he won’t have magic and he can’t come back over the line unless we give him the means to do so,” Emma replied.

“Are you sure that he won’t try to trick his way back over?” Snow asked.

“He wouldn’t have a way to do it.  He wouldn’t have any magic.  He wouldn’t be able to influence anyone to let him back over.  He has pressured this town and its people for so long that no one will back him.  Even those that would think about backing him won’t stand against me.  They know what he is capable of and if he gets his way, he will destroy everything, Snow.  You have to see that.  You have to know that he would destroy it all,” Regina told her.

“What do you mean by that?”

“The spell that he was working on isn’t just a portal to the Enchanted Forest,” Belle stated.

“Then what is it?” Snow asked, shaking her head slightly with the question.

“It is a portal back in time.  He plans on going back in time so he can perfect his family and have everything that he wants.  It is the same plan that he concocts every time he loses what he has.  He tried it and realized that time travel wasn’t a viable option when he lost Neal.  He spent the rest of our time in the Enchanted Forest grooming me to cast a curse so he could come here to find him.  What the Hell do you think that he is capable of doing in order to get Belle and Neal back?  Fortunately the portal spell that he is using needs ingredients that he can’t get here, but that hasn’t stopped him.  I think that he is trying to use the well in order to go back to get what he needs and once he has it…he’ll erase all of this.  Do you want that?” Regina asked them.

Charming sat back in his chair.  He listened to what they were saying.  He really did, but he decided that he needed to weigh in on the matter.

“So why is it that you have to confront him?”

“We need to get him to the line,” Emma stated.

“Why can’t I do it?”

“What are you talking about?” Snow asked.

“You want to stop him.  You want it finished.  We need to stop him.  I agree with that, but why does it have to be one of you?  Why can’t someone else do this for you?” Charming asked them.

“What are you propose?” Regina asked, not sure if she was honestly going to entertain any idea that came from the shepherd prince, but she knew that she would at least hear him out.

“Why can’t I lure him to the line or push him over?  That is why we are all here, isn’t it?  Because as Coraline stated, matters of state were handled by the Council.  Is this not the Council sitting here with us?  Why can’t we all have a say in this?”

“What are you suggesting, Charming?” Regina questioned.

“I don’t know, but it can’t be this.  We know that whoever kills him takes the power.  And, I hope that I can say that everyone here, that we don’t want anyone to have that fate.  But, is getting him over the line honestly going to stop him?”

“He has a point,” Emma stated.

“We know what we are fighting.  We know who are fighting, but we also know that we Rumple is capable of doing.  We know how he turns things around to get what he wants.  How do we know that he hasn’t planned this to get us divided?  If we are divided, then we are easier to defeat.  He knows are weaknesses and our strengths. How do we know that he won’t use those against us and still get what he wants?” Emma asked them all.

“We don’t,” Regina added.

“Then how can we say that this is best thing to do.  We can’t.  We are planning on destroying a man because we think that he is trying to destroy us.  We know that he is capable.  He has proven that on more than one occasion, but what do we really know?  We know that he is still grieving for Baelfire.  We know that he wants Belle back, but do we know what he is planning in order to get both of those things in his life?  No, we don’t.  We are going off half-cocked and unprepared.  We don’t know what he is doing,” Charming stated.

“Yes, we do…” Belle stated looking passed everyone and into Regina’s deep eyes. 

“What?” Regina asked, breathily, completely surprised by the information that Belle was just now giving them after she had been there earlier while they were hashing out ideas and she had said nothing.

The looks that she was getting from Regina were copied by Will, Emma and Ruby.  She simply shrugged off the looks.  She shifted slightly in her seat but she never let them see the fear.  She’d been taught to be poised and regal in hard situations.  This was definitely going to be a hard situation.  She was hoping that she wouldn’t have to divulge this information but she knew now that she couldn’t hold back anything.  She had to tell them everything that she knew.

“I know what Rumple is planning.”

“What is it?” Will asked, reaching over and putting her hand on Regina just the same as Emma was doing from the other side, each of them trying to keep Regina calm.

“There is a way to defeat the darkness inside Rumple.  I almost did it once.  I can’t do it now.  I’ve lost that chance and so has Rumple. He let it slip through our hands.  I am not telling you this because I want him to die.  I am telling you this because it is information that the Dark One doesn’t want anyone to know.  It is a way to defeat the darkness but it will only work if the Dark One agrees to it.  It isn’t something that I think is passed down with the knowledge of being the Dark One.  I am not sure how this hasn’t been documented, but I don’t think that the Dark One has ever been on capable.  Maybe that is the problem.  They aren’t capable anymore,” Belle started to explain like she was still trying to fully process the information herself.

“The Dark One isn’t capable of what?” Will asked her, watching her every move.

“Love…” Belle replied barely just above a whisper.

Regina met her fierce blue eyes.  She saw the answers there and she knew why Belle had kept the information to herself.  She knew that Belle had been keeping that information bottled inside for years.  She wondered how long she’d known that there was another way to destroy the darkness inside him and why she hadn’t acted on it.  Had things between Rumple and Belle gotten so bad between them that she would offer this information?  What happened to them?

Belle stared at her.  She could see the questions in her eyes.  But, Belle didn’t elaborate more.  She knew that she had said enough with what she had already said.  She didn’t know what else she could say to them.  She had given them the power to destroy Rumple with one word and now, she was content to sit back and see what they would do with it.

“If that was the case, then why isn’t Rumple normal now?” Emma asked not quiet grasping the magnitude of the information that Belle had given them.

“Emma…” Regina started.

Snow met Belle’s eyes.  She could see the pain and the heartbreak there.  She understood what Belle was and was not saying.  She stood up and grabbed Charming by the arm, leading him away from the table.  He looked up at her and into her hazel eyes.  She said so much that he understood now was not the time to question further.

“We’ll see you all tomorrow,” Snow told her family.

“Goodnight, everyone,” Charming answered leaving with her.

“What did I miss?” Emma asked the remaining women.

“Emma, come with us.  We need to go patrol.  Red, you come, too.  We could use your nose,” Will stated realizing that Regina and Belle needed to talk alone.

Ruby looked up at her and then at Belle.  She saw the look in Will’s eyes.  She saw the look in Belle’s eyes.  She felt for Belle, but she knew that whatever she had to say she needed to say it alone to Regina.  She reluctantly nodded at Will.  She stood up and cocked her head towards the door.  Emma caught the look and stood up, too. 

She was waiting by the door frame when Ruby met her.  She could see the questioning in Emma’s green eyes and she knew why, but she also knew that they needed to patrol the town and make sure that they were safe for the evening.  She also knew that Regina and Belle had a lot of unfinished business to discuss. 

Coraline took Will’s hand as they left the room.  Emma smiled at the simple gesture and hoped that both her daughter and her friend could find the peace and love that they deserved with each other.  She knew that Regina was afraid for them and she understood it, but she also understood where her daughter and friend were coming from.  They hadn’t had a true loving experience in their lives until they found each other.  And, the fact that they found it with each other was as much poetic justice as it had been for Regina and Emma to find it with each other.  She smiled at Coraline and nodded as they headed out into the town.  The unspoken words of love between them meant more to them both in that moment than actually saying that they loved each other and Emma knew it.

She pulled Ruby back just enough to give them some privacy.  Ruby reluctantly agreed but then she saw the look on Coraline’s face.  It was the same look that she had seen with Regina when she looked at Emma when she thought that no one was really paying her any attention.  She could see the love between them and she gave Emma a grin.  They walked through town and patrolled, hoping that nothing would happen, waiting for a phone call to come home.

Regina was still just staring at her.  She didn’t know what to say.  She wanted to yell at the librarian, but she couldn’t.  She would have done the same thing had she been in her shoes.  Hell, her own mother might have saved Rumple once upon a time if she hadn’t ripped her own heart out.  They had the answer in front of them for years and yet they still didn’t see it.

“Love?”

“Yes.”

“It is the most powerful magic,” Regina stated.

“In any realm,” Belle added.

“How long have you known?”

“That Love would cure the darkness?”

“Yes,” Regina replied simply.

“Since I was a captive in his castle, years before you captured me on the road that day.”

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” Regina asked her.

“Because I was unsure of what someone would do with the information.  It wasn’t just his life that would be changed.  It would be mine.  I did love him once.  I loved him enough to walk away, but that wasn’t enough for either of us.  The separation nearly drove him mad with lust for power and it made me your prisoner instead of his.  You gave me the idea, on the roadway that day.  You had to know what it would do to him,” Belle accused her.

“It was an idea, but it was an idea that I never thought would work.  My mother had loved Rumple.  At one point, I am sure that he thought I or Zelena was his daughter.  But, it wasn’t mean to be with her.  Do you know why?” Regina asked.

“No.”

“Because she ripped her own heart out.  She tore her own heart from her chest because she realized that she loved him, but she wanted power and fame and everything that goes along with it.  She didn’t marry my father for love.  She married him to improve her station in life.  Love was something that I never truly understood, even though I did have the love my father.  It was the one thing that my mother instilled in me about love: it is weakness.”

“But it is strength, too,” Belle added.

“I know that now.  I didn’t then.  I didn’t when I took you from him and hid you away.  I did it because I was sad and lonely.  I did it to manipulate him, but all the while he was the one doing the manipulations.  His love for his son caused me to curse the entire kingdom.  He molded me into what he wanted, what he needed for his endgame.  There were no thoughts about my happiness or my feelings.  It has always been what it will always be with him, Belle.  And, now, unfortunately, after being married to him for a few years, you see that.”

“It will always be about him and his quest for power,” Belle replied.

“Yes and I am sorry for that.  But, I think that you have found something else because of you trials with him.  You are stronger and you are willing to fight.  You haven’t given up on him.  I can still see it in your eyes.  You don’t want him to die, but you are afraid that there won’t be any other way to stop him.  I get that.  I am afraid of that, too.  But, I am also afraid of what he might unleash on the town,” Regina told her.

“He released the ogre didn’t he?” Belle asked her.

“I don’t know if he did it directly or indirectly, but Emma and Red know that he was there when it came through the portal that he opened.  We need to close that portal but to do so, we need to distract Rumple.  I am not asking you to do anything.  I am asking you to not do something.”

“What?” Belle asked.

“Stay away from him.  I am afraid of what he might do if you go back to him.  He is losing his mind with the power of the darkness and the more he does, the more I worry about you.  No, I know that you can handle yourself Belle.  I know that you are capable with a sword.  I’ve seen you in action a few times when it’s been needed.  But, violence isn’t your occupation like it was mine.  Even through everything that we’ve both done to you in our quests for power and revenge, you have remained steadfastly pure and slightly innocent.  You need to keep that.”

“And, what would you have me do?”

“I would like for you to allow Red to do as she sees fit.”

“Ruby is her own person,” Belle replied.

“Not when she is around you, Belle.  Don’t try to deny it.  We can all see how she looks at you.  She could do a lot worse, trust me,” Regina told her snickering a little.

“Should I be insulted?”

“No, Belle, you shouldn’t.  You are both of royal blood.  And, according to my daughter, you are both the reason that our people prosper in a sea of darkness as you still try to fight the Blackness.  I need you to stay the way you are for my daughter.  Is that selfish of me?  Yes, because at this point, I don’t know that anything we are doing is actually helping.  For all we know, we are playing right into the timeline that causes the Blackness to happen.  I need to know that my daughter…that my family will be safe,” Regina told her.

“Your family?”

“Yes, Ruby is my sister.  And, I love her.  She is my only true family besides Coraline.”

“That is why you let her get away with more than the others with you,” Belle said.

“Yes, it is.  I know that you will keep her grounded Belle.  I know that you will protect her fiercely like I do.  I know that you are the reason that Ruby would take him on, kill him and take the darkness inside her and do you know why?  Because she would do it to protect you from it.”

“But, I am the only one that can defeat it,” Belle argued.

“You were the only one that could defeat it.  You don’t love him like that anymore.  You don’t.  If you did, you would have fought harder for your marriage and for him.  But, you are here and you are telling me how to stop the darkness of the Dark One with love because you believe that either Will or Red is going to confront him.  You know that they will be able to kill him and you know what that means for them if they do it.  You are trying to educate us so we can give them a way out once the deed is done.  Always two steps ahead, no matter what the plan,” Regina stated.

“Love will make you do strange things,” Belle replied.

“It surely will,” Regina said as she picked up her glass.  “To Love and all its glory.  May it save us from ourselves, our enemies and help us defeat the unholy Blackness to come.”

“To Love,” Belle repeated.

“To Love!”


	38. Chapter 38

Belle hadn't said anything on their way back to Ruby's apartment. She was glad for Will and Coraline's company and escort home because it gave her time to think about what she wanted to say to Ruby as she calmed down. She knew that it would do her no good to be riled up while she was trying to talk Ruby out of what they were planning to do.

She had listened quietly as they discussed the plan after dinner. She hand added what she knew then and talked privately with Regina. She knew that Ruby was upset with her revelation about Rumple, but she was also upset with Ruby thinking that she could actually take on Rumple and Belle wouldn't cure. She knew that Ruby had a protective side. She liked it, but she hated it when she tell the need to sacrifice herself lot' the betterment of others. Belle knew that it would be u hard discussion und it wasn't really her decision. That didn't mean that she had to like it, either.

When they got to the building, Coraline and Will said their farewells and headed downtown to the collage than Will was renting at the Major Oaks. Belle watched as Ruby smiled after them, knowing how her cousin had essentially fallen for her niece. She shook her head at the thoughts knowing how Regina's curse had totally skewed their entire existence and that there was so much distance and blood between them that it wasn't incestuous.

Belle said their goodbyes and pulled Ruby inside. She watched as Ruby waved briefly before stumbling along behind Belle. Amused by the Wolf’s stumbling frame, she continued up the stairs to her apartment, not giving Ruby a chance to catch herself as they went.

She threw open the door and stomped her way over to the bed. She sat down with an unusual flourish and waited for Ruby to say something about her behavior. Ruby however just watched her, unsure of what to say because she could sense the anger rolling off of Belle in waves and she wondered what she had done to cause it. Staring at each other, the fire burning in both the hazel eyes of the Wolf and the sapphire of the librarian, Ruby finally took a seat in the recliner across the room from her bed.

"What?" Ruby finally asked breaking their silence when she couldn't take it anymore.

"I am not sure that you want me to tell you," Belle replied.

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know, Belle. You've been distant since dinner. We agreed not lie to each, remember? What's wrong?"

"After everything that we've been through, you didn't think that it prudent for you to talk to me before you decided to make yourself cannon fodder. Did you think that it would upset me? Did you think that I wouldn't care what happened to you?" Belle questioned with pain and anger in her voice.

"I knew that you would, but I also know that I don't want anything to happen to you. We all know than Rumple is crazy and he is unpredictable, especially when it comes to you. I wasn't planning on dying, either. I just want to help them get him over the line. I know than you might have some issues when it comes to him. I didn't want to cause you more issues by having to worry about me," Ruby replied.

"You seriously thought that I wouldn’t worry about you anyway?"

"I don't know, Belle. I am worried about what Rumple is planning. I’m worried that people are going to die that don't need to because of his insanity. I am scared that we aren't going to be able to stop Coraline's future from happening. I don't want to lose my family and friends. If I have to die to make sure that happens, then I am willing to do it. I also know that Regina and Will aren't going to let me do it, either. They are going to find a way to destroy him...permanently, Belle. You already know this."

“I know that they are going to try, Ruby, but that doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice yourself in the process.  You can’t do that, Ruby.  You can’t.  I don’t know what to say to you to convince you of than, but you just can’t.  If anyone is going to sacrifice themselves for Rumple, it will be me,” Belle said.

“And, why do you think that is going to happen?”

“Because he is my responsibility,” Belle answered.

“No, he isn’t, Belle.  It isn’t your fault that he is the Dark One.  He has no one to blame for that but himself.  He has caused so much suffering on his own before you surrendered to him during the Ogre Wars, Belle.  Don’t punish yourself for him,” Ruby begged standing up from the chair.

“How can I not?   I could have stopped this years ago.  I could have stopped him.”

“When?   He’s pushed you away at every turn when you tried to get close to him, Belle.  He knew that you would be his undoing and he kept you far enough away so that he wouldn’t fall in love with you completely.  He did that to protect his power.  He certainly didn’t do you any favors.  Belle, you tell for him because he was there, not because he was trying to be a better man.”

“I know that now.  Regina explained that it is called ‘Stockholm Syndrome.’ But, even beyond that, he did take care of me here.  He fought for me.  He loved me for a while,” Belle replied.

“Until the quest for power became too great of a need again?” Ruby asked.

“No, I think it started after Neal died.  I just didn’t want to see it.  He has been pulling back into the darkness for some time.  It wasn’t until Coraline and Will showed up that I finally couldn’t take it anymore.  He tried to destroy my baby sister, Ruby.  He tried to hurt her just because she wasn’t really my blood, because she lied to me to protect us.  How could he do that?  He knew that I loved her like a real sister.  I don’t care that she isn’t my blood, Ruby.  I never did.  She is my baby sister.”

“Who becomes our daughter,” Ruby added.

“Even more of reason for me to be angry with him about it.  How could he hurt an innocent?  How could he let the evil take him over so completely?” Belle questioned.

“Because he is the Dark One, Belle, he didn’t have a choice.  Once he became the Dark One, the darkness owned him, body and soul.  I’m surprised that he lasted as long as he has.”

Ruby could see the pain and suffering in Belle’s eyes.  She crossed the room as she fell both of their anger lessening.  She sat down on the bed next to Belle and took her hand.  She didn’t know how to comfort her.  She didn’t know what else to say.  They were both upset by the situation they found themselves in, but they were helpless to stop it.  Ruby knew that they could give into their anger, but it wouldn’t do any good for anyone.

They needed to find a way than they could deal with Rumple without anyone dying.  It wasn’t going to be an easy feat.  Ruby knew that they were all willing to die to protect the town, Henry and Coraline, and all their loved ones.  She also knew that they were going to bicker about who was allowed to sacrifice themselves to do it.

“Could Will survive it?”

“If Regina allowed her try, I think that she would,” Ruby replied.

“Why wouldn’t Regina let her?” Belle asked.

“Because of who Wilhelmina is.  She is Vulcannonian.  She is damn near indestructible now.  Can you imagine what she would be like as the Dark One?”

“I can’t imagine any of us being the Dark One but Rumple.”

“That is why Regina isn’t going to let anyone confront him.  She is all for us pushing him over the line.  It is what happens to him once he is over the line that frightens her the most.”

“Why?” Belle asked.

“lf he dies, what happens to his darkness?” Ruby asked the librarian.

“I don’t know.”

“No one does and that is why it is scary.”

“Promise me that you won’t go up against him, Ruby,” Belle quietly demanded.

Ruby leaned into her.  She knew that she couldn’t promise that.  None of them could.  But, she could try to do her best not to kill him, maim him a little, but not kill him.  She could give Belle that much, but not much more.  She hoped that it would be enough for Belle.

“I’ll do my best, but you know that I can’t promise you that.  I’ll promise you that I won’t actively seek him out.  but l can’t say that I won’t do anything if he tries to attack.  I can’t give you that.  Belle.  I’m sorry,” Ruby told her.

Belle squeezed her hand and told her, “I know that.  I was hoping that you could, but I know that your honor and your Wolf nobility won’t allow you sit back and do nothing.  I get that, Ruby.  I really do.  I know that I might ask you to do things that you feel you have to do, but it is only because I care about you.  Don’t you see that?  I can’t lose you to this madness.”

“You aren’t going to lose me to anything, Belle.”

“You can’t promise me that, Ruby.  No one can.  We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow.  We only have today,” Belle said.  “And, even Rumple is going to upset that.”

“Not if we don’t let him,” Ruby said.

“I know.  I am trying not to let it get to me but it is hard.  I used to love him.  I was his wife.  We shared a life and now he is going after everything that I love.  I can’t let him do that.  I can’t let you be the ones that pay for my mistakes.  I have to find a way to make him stop, Ruby.  He is my problem, not yours.”

“I think we already told you that it wasn’t your fault.  Rumple made his own bed.  Besides, Regina owes him for more than you can know about.  He has hurt all of us in some way, Belle.”

Ruby turned to look at her more fully.  She found herself losing herself in Belle’s hypnotic sapphire eyes.  She smiled as she held her hand hoping that Belle could feel the emotions that she was trying to give her.  She didn’t know how to tell her beyond that she cared.  They had agreed to talk about that morning later, but Ruby wasn’t sure that she was ready to have that discussion with her.  She wasn’t ready for Belle to tell her that cared for her but not like that.  She loved Belle enough and she was still ashamed that she had been so forward, but she couldn’t help but smile at Belle returning her kisses.

“Can’t we just forget about it for right now?” Ruby suggested.

“Then what do you want to talk about?” Belle asked her.

“This morning,” Ruby said quietly.

Belle smiled at her.  She squeezed her hands tighter.  She looked up into Ruby’s fiery hazel eyes.  She saw a depth of emotion shown there that she’d never seen in anyone’s eyes before. 

“Ruby…are you sorry for kissing me this morning?” Belle asked her.

“No, definitely not.  I have never been more sure of anything in my life, Belle.  I am sorry if I scared you.  I didn’t mean come on so strong.  I just…”

“Shut up, Ruby,” Belle told her placing a single finger over her mouth.

Belle leaned forward and kissed Ruby.  She kept it chase and quick.  She was trying to gauge Ruby’s reaction.  The day had been long and hard on the all.  She needed to see what Ruby was thinking.  She needed to make sure that Ruby was still with her even after everything that had happened that day.  She needed to know that Ruby wanted to be there.

Ruby leaned into Belle.  She could fell the warmth of Belle’s body next to her.  She could smell the warmth of her and the sweet smell that was just Belle.  Ruby fought to keep some sense in her head as she fought her inner Wolf.

“Ruby, what are you thinking?” Belle asked the anger from earlier completely gone.

“I am wondering why you are even here with me right now,” Ruby told her.

“You are a beautiful woman.  I am honored that you think of me that way.  I won’t deny that it surprised me when I find out, but it explains so much between us, Ruby.”

“Oh, God, you just want to be friends.  I’ve scared you.  I never meant to scare you, Belle.  I’ll just go sleep on the couch.  You take the bed.  I am sorry…” Ruby said getting up from the bed and started for the door to her bedroom. 

“Ruby…stop.”

The Wolf turned around and looked at the smaller auburn headed woman.  There was hope in her eyes, but she dare not let it show completely on her face.  She looked into her sapphire eyes and wondered how deep the affection really ran behind them.  Ruby stood stock still.

Belle got off the bed and walked over to where she was.  She took both of Ruby’s hands in hers.  She turned up and looked into her hazel eyes.  It was the briefest moments that she could her eyes flash yellow as she kept the Wolf inside back.  She smiled up at her and rose up onto her tiptoes.  The kiss that followed wasn’t chaste.  Belle poured her entire being into it.  She needed to make Ruby understand how she felt. 

Ruby stood there as her hands rose to wrap themselves around Belle’s waist.  She pulled up her up further into her frame supporting Belle’s weight.  Belle wrapped herself around Ruby’s body.  She felt as Ruby backed them up to the bed.  Ruby turned just in time to sit down on her own ass and hold Belle wrapped around her waist.

Belle pushed Ruby just a little.  Ruby didn’t budge though.  She did however allow Belle to deepen the kiss.  She felt her tongue brush over her lips.  Ruby couldn’t help but smile as she opened her lips to allow Belle’s tongue entry.  The kiss was telling them each what they wanted to know.  It spoke volumes about what they couldn’t tell each other in words. 

Belle broke the kiss first.  She pulled back just enough to look into the darkening eyes with yellow flecks.  She wanted to know what Ruby was thinking.  She couldn’t help but smile.  Ruby’s expressions were more pronounced in the sanctuary of her apartment.  She had never seen her so expressive. 

“What?” Ruby asked her.

“What took you so long?” Belle questioned.

“I…you were…I don’t know.”

“Kiss me, Ruby.  Kiss me like you mean it.  Kiss me like you want to kiss me,” Belle told her.

Ruby leaned forward and kissed her.  She didn’t question the librarian.  She wanted this.  She wanted to taste her.  She wanted to have her.  She wanted to possess her and Belle was willingly giving herself over to Ruby and she couldn’t be happier at the situation.

She had to put herself into the kiss.  She had to make Belle understand that this wasn’t just an infatuation.  She meant every touch, every sigh, every kiss that she was giving Belle.  She had to give herself over completely and softly.  She didn’t want to frighten her.

Belle broke the kiss.  She heard the small whimper that Ruby made as she pulled back.  It was the first time that she actually looked at Ruby closely that night.  She took in the black oxford shirt with the thin red pin strips.  The dark indigo jeans were tight and accentuated her curves and ass.  The shirt was unbuttoned almost to her cleavage.  Belle stared at her pale skin and licked her lips.  She stared up into Ruby’s hazel eyes and smiled. 

Ruby looked at her.  The blue dress that she was wearing matched the blue of her eyes.  The dress was accented with a thin black leather belt.  She held Belle close her and firmly to her lap.  

Belle leaned back some more until she was a full arms-length away from Ruby.  She linked her fingers behind Ruby’s neck and teased the base of her scalp.  The more she touched Ruby, the more she wanted to touch her.  She watched as Ruby’s eyes fluttered shut.

“Belle…”

There was no warning in her voice like there had been in the morning.  Now, there was something else, something deeper, something emotional.  Belle just smiled at her and continued to run her fingers through Ruby’s hair.

She made a point to memorize every bit of Ruby’s face.  She let go of the nape of her neck to run her fingers slowly over Ruby’s face.  She stopped at Ruby’s cheek and cupped.  Admiring the way that Ruby leaned into her hand, her eyes dropped to Ruby’s mouth.  The need to kiss her became too great and she couldn’t resist anymore.  She needed to taste her lips.  She swiped her thumb against Ruby’s lower lip as she leaned forward to capture her lips with her own.

It was a slow kiss.  Languid at first and then it deepened when Ruby ran her tongue slowly over Belle’s lips.  She opened her lips just enough for Ruby to thrust her tongue inside her mouth.  She could taste Belle and she couldn’t help but moan as she felt Belle’s tongue massage her own. 

Belle not to be outdone kissed her harder.  She felt Ruby’s hands move up from her hips up her sides.  She could feel the heat from Ruby’s hands as they ran over the bumps of her ribs.  She sighed as they settled on her sides.  She could feel Ruby trying not to squeeze her too hard because she was worried about hurting Belle with her Wolf-strength. 

“You aren’t going to hurt me,” Belle told her, taking a breath in-between kisses.

“I could though,” Ruby answered.

“I’ve seen the way that you look at me, Ruby.  You won’t hurt me.  You don’t know how.  You are so gentle and loving.  You are loyal to a fault.  You haven’t ever done anything that would make me question your decisions or your actions.  You are a beautiful creature, both human and Wolf.  And, I am honored that you care about me,” Belle stated.

“Belle, I don’t just care….”

“Ruby,” Belle interrupted her.

“Yes?”

“Shut up,” Belle told her and kissing her so she couldn’t say anything in return.

With her knees on the bed and surrounding Ruby’s thighs, Belle pushed up just enough to be a little taller than Ruby.  She looked down on her and smiled.  Unused to be lower than Belle, all Ruby could do was smile up at her. Leaning down and kissing her, Belle brought her hands back around to Ruby’s front.  Ruby held on to her still with her long fingers wrapped around her ribs, thumbs just below the swell of her breast as they kissed hungrily.  It took everything that Ruby had not to rub her thumbs across Belle’s nipples.

Belle on the other hand realized that Ruby was going to be conservative and honorable.  She knew that she would have to make the first move, like she had this morning when she kissed Ruby.  It wasn’t a matter of not wanting Belle and Belle knew that.  It was the fact that Ruby was afraid of herself and what her Wolf-side libido could do if she let it be unleashed.  It was a risk that Belle was willing to take because she knew that no matter what Ruby did to her, it would be out of love and desire.  It would be an emotional coming together of two souls that were seeking not only the need for a base connection, but a passionate embrace of mind, body and soul as one.

Ruby tried not to hold her breath as Belle slowly kissed from her mouth to her jaw line.  When she found the spot just below her ear, she growled.  It was more like a deep moan, but Belle didn’t care.  She decided to catalog that spot for later adventures with the Wolf.  She nipped and licked her way down her throat until she found the sinuous spot where the muscles of Ruby’s shoulder and neck connected just at the base.  She bit down and lavished the spot with her tongue.  She was rewarded by Ruby dropping her head back and letting out a long moan.

As Belle came down and around the front of Ruby towards her chest, her hands curled into Ruby’s shirt’s collar.  She slowly let the collar go and worked her hands down the front of Ruby’s shirt.  She wasn’t amazed to find out the Wolf wasn’t wearing a bra beneath, but she was delighted by the fact.  Her fingers stopped at the first button. She slowly undid it while staring into Ruby’s eyes watching the hazel fade into the golden yellow of the Wolf.  Ruby never blinked as the first button was undone, or the second, or the third.  On the fourth button, Belle had to look down and away from the pure, unadulterated passion in Ruby’s eyes.

“Belle?” she quietly questioned.

Belle’s head snapped up, but she didn’t stop her quest on undoing all the buttons on Ruby’s shirt.  As their eyes met, Ruby could see the desire there, but it was hidden slightly.  Like a frightened child that had been yelled at and abused, she could see the fear of what they were doing in Belle’s eyes and it made her want to hurt Rumple more.

To Ruby, Belle was love.  That is all she was.  She was pure as Snow, loyal as Emma, and emotional like Regina.  She was everything in one and she was nothing like at them at the same time.  Ruby knew that her years with Rumple had done things that Belle wouldn’t talk about.

“Belle…”

This time when Belle met her eyes, they were different.  The cobalt fire that was burning in them was all-consuming and illustrious.  The passion that Ruby saw was no longer hidden away.  It was brought to the forefront and it was on display for whomever dared to see it.  She was opening herself up completely and Ruby was in awe. 

Belle grabbed ahold of the shoulders of the shirt and almost ripped it from Ruby’s body.  The force of the movement caused the shirt to bind in several places and Belle was not amused.  She would have torn it from Ruby’s body if she could and Ruby realizing this, eased Belle’s hands from one of her favorite shirts.  She leaned back just a little to pull out of Belle’s reach and took off the shirt.  She dropped it on the floor beside the bed.

Belle looked down at the bare flesh.  She licked her lips and stared.  She couldn’t help herself.  She slowly ran her fingers over Ruby’s front.  She traced every scar that told tales of the wounds that she had suffered while fighting in the Enchanted Forest.  She looked at every detail of the peach-toned flesh beneath her eyes and all she wanted to do was kiss it.  Licking her lips again, Belle pushed at Ruby’s shoulders until the taller woman was lying across her bed.  When her shoulders hit the comforter, Belle followed her down and kissed the valley between her breasts.  Ruby sucked in a breath as all the air in the body whooshed out at the touch of her lips.

Belle looked up and into her face.  Scared that she had hurt her somehow, Belle stopped kissing her.  It wasn’t until one of Ruby delicate hands brushed across her cheek that she resumed her torturously slow loving of Ruby’s chest.  Each kiss brought new sound spilling from the usually better contained Wolf.  Each touch caused a new inhalation of breath as each caress caused an exhalation.  But, for Belle, it was a symphony of sound that she would never tire of hearing.

Finally unable to stop herself, her hands wandered to the handfuls of flesh that had been staring at her since they were uncovered.  Ruby felt like she was clay in the hands of a master artist.  The way that Belle molded her hands to her skin, the way she squeezed and massaged the flesh beneath her hands, and the way her lips grazed over her skin as if she was praying for the moment to never end were all going to send Ruby over the edge before Belle ever really touched her.  There was just too much feeling behind every glance, every lick, every brush of skin and they both thought that they were going to explode from the sheer intensity of it all.

“By the gods, Ruby…” Belle exhaled as she ghosted her up a breast before engulfing it with her mouth.

Ruby arched up off of the bed, her hands falling to the comforter, as she tried to ground herself into something other than Belle.  Belle was reveling in the skin contact that she had with the Wolf but she wanted more.  She let go of the breast, much to Ruby’s dismay, and leaned back.  Once she was back on her haunches, she reached behind her back and found the zipper to her dress.  Keeping her eyes locked on Ruby’s, she slowly undid it, letting the dress pool around her waist.  She watched as Ruby’s eyes, still golden yellow, widened at the sight of her slightly sun-kissed skin.  But, it was when Belle’s hands disappeared behind her back for the second time and then her bosom was revealed to the Wolf that Ruby almost lost her sanity.

She couldn’t hold herself back anymore.  Her arms moved before she could tell them not to and suddenly, she found herself above Belle, who was on her back.  The deep blue sea of Belle’s eyes only softened more as Ruby leaned down to kiss her.  This time it wasn’t chaste or sweet.  It was raw and powerful and everything that Belle wanted. 

The kiss made her feel desired.  It made her feel loved.  She didn’t need to be dainty with Ruby and she knew that.  She didn’t want that for herself.  So, feeling the want, the passion, and the desire that Ruby had for her rolling off in waves, Belle soaked them up like a dry sponge and her body and voice begged for more.

“Ruby…” she breathed as Ruby dipped her weight into the mattress and took to kissing her.

It was everything that Belle could do not to scream to the heavens.  Nothing had ever felt so right to her but that moment and Ruby’s touch upon her body.  It was like her body had been drowning in a sea of nothingness and Ruby’s touch, her lips were giving her life again.

“Ruby…” she moaned out.

Ruby enjoying the sounds that she was getting Belle to make was only spurred on further by the sounds.  The heat between them was becoming intense.  Ruby pulled back just enough to wedge one hand between them while the other supported her weight.  She balanced the rest of her weight between her knees and feet as she successfully managed to pull Belle’s dress off her body and down off the bed.  Happy with the result, Ruby plastered her body onto Belle’s and sighed at the feeling of them melding together.  She couldn’t deny the lusciousness of Belle’s body against her.  The feeling of her skin against hers was almost too much for the Wolf to handle.  She pulled back for a moment, trying to rein Red in before she broke completely free.

“Belle…” Ruby breathed out just before she took one of Belle’s breasts into her mouth and suckled hard.  She nipped slightly and ran her tongue over the highly sensitive skin.  She smiled around Belle’s nipple as she arched up off the bed into her mouth.  Her smile grew even bigger as her tongue lavished the puckered bud and she felt Belle’s hands lace in the hair at the base of her neck. 

She moved from one breast to the other.  Belle mewed with each wash of Ruby’s tongue across her skin.  Her hands moved from the nape of Ruby’s neck down the bumps of her spine until they rested at small protrusions of her hips.  She pulled her closer to her body.  The skin to skin contact was wonderful.  She snaked her hands slowly underneath the jeans that Ruby was wearing.  She grabbed at her ass and held her closer, needing to feel Ruby as close as she could.

“More…” Belle breathed out.

Ruby jerked up from her breast to look into her cobalt eyes.  She wasn’t sure if Belle was asking her to stop or to give her more.  She gave her a questioning look as she met her eyes.  Belle was just smiling at her.  She ran her hands up Ruby’s back as she pulled her back down for another kiss.  When Ruby finally surrendered to the kiss, she ran her hands around the front of her hips and started working on the button and zipper of Ruby’s jeans. 

Ruby was just staring in her eyes, completely lost in the feelings that Belle was causing her to have.  She was just enjoying the feeling of Belle’s skin on hers.  The smile that was creeping across her face turned into a shocked expression as she felt Belle’s fingers slowly moving south, below her waistband and towards her core. 

“Belle?” she asked, questioning what the smaller librarian was doing.

“Just feel, Ruby.  That is all you need to do.  Just feel me,” Belle told her as she found the prize that her hand and fingers had been searching for as they buried themselves inside her.

Ruby let out a breathy moan.  Her body surged forward towards Belle’s hand.  The movement caused her jeans to move towards the floor as Belle’s fingers started moving deeper insider her.  Ruby cried out as she started scissoring her fingers back and forth.  The feeling causing liquid heat to move south to her core as Belle hooked her legs underneath Ruby’s knees. With a quick thrust of her weight, she had Ruby on her back and two fingers buried to the knuckle in her.

“Belle…”

“Yes, love?”

“Oh….”

Belle just smiled as she set a slow and steady pace.  She needed Ruby to feel and understand what her body and love did to her, how encompassing her passion really was, while she gave Ruby was she wanted.  As she started to speed up her pumping, she managed to push the jeans completely off and to the floor.  Once Ruby was naked, Belle bent over her body and began to kiss every inch of skin that she could reach while still taking her.

Ruby started bucking hard off the bed.  Belle didn’t mind.  She wanted to see the Wolf and she knew that as soon as she did that Ruby would cease to be with her and Red would come forward.  She wanted to give Ruby everything that she deserved and make her feel loved.  It was the least that she could do for the Wolf considering everything that she had ever done for her, but that wasn’t why she wanted to do it.  It wasn’t a one-sided attraction.  Belle wanted Ruby as well, now that she understood what Ruby had been tiptoeing around for years.

As she made her way down Ruby’s exquisite body, she felt Ruby’s hands on her head, burying long, thin fingers in her hair.  As she kept moving, the hands left her head for her body.  She could feel the need in Ruby’s hands.  The wonton touch of her fingers on Belle’s skin urged her to keep moving further south until she was face to face with Ruby’s nether lips.  Belle instinctually licked her own lips as she breathed in the intoxicating scents of Ruby’s want.  She painstakingly, slowly inched her tongue towards Ruby and was rewarded with a decidedly deep, wonton and primal growl that started from the depths of Ruby’s stomach and erupted from her mouth as Belle found her clit.

She cooed as she lapped at Ruby’s center.  The vibrations of the moans sent shockwaves through Ruby’s body.  She had never been so completely loved as Belle was loving her tonight.  When Belle settled on the bundle of nerves at the top of her mound, Ruby almost shot of the bed.  The ache that had been building inside her for years was pounding at the dam she’d built, but Belle’s passion was destroying with each solidly placed lick, nip and suck until Ruby could no longer stand it.  Her hips arched upward and no matter how Belle tried to hold her down, she couldn’t.  Ruby came with a roar that was sure to wake everyone in the inn and surrounding buildings, but neither of them could care.  It was what they were seeking.  To find oblivious love and pure passion in each other’s arms, and tonight, Ruby felt loved so deeply that she wanted to weep.

As Belle continued to suckle her through her orgasm, she heard the faint sobs of the Wolf.  She pulled her head up and looked into the deeply colored hazel eyes.  There were no questions.  There were no worries.  All she saw was pure emotion and it made Belle’s heart ache for the purity of it, since she herself had been seeking the same passion for years.  She kissed each and every one of Ruby’s tears away.

“It’s alright, Ruby.  I’ve got you.  I am not going to let you go,” Belle told her, gathering her into her arms and holding her tight.

“Promise?”

“Forever, Wolf,” she told her.

Those words broke through and allowed Red to come forward.  She surged up and took Belle, flipping her onto her back.  When questioning azure eyes met the extreme golden hue of Ruby’s eyes, she realized that Ruby was retreating to let Red out to play.  Belle just kissed her, letting Red know that she wasn’t afraid. 

Red knew what Belle was doing and she allowed her.  Before Belle could break the kiss, Red ripped her underwear from her body.  Belle watched as she turned her head in the air and knew that Red was taking in every smell in the room.  She knew how wet she was and could only imagine what that was doing to Red’s ever growing need and passion for her.  Suddenly, Red turned her head and looked down at her. 

She cocked her head at the librarian as she drank up the sight of her naked.  Suddenly the need to feel her consumed Red and she rolled them over again.  She pulled Belle up onto her hips.  She let her thumb work its way between her thighs until she found the hidden gem.  She brushed over it twice causing Belle to pull up off of her.  The third time she came up off of Red’s hips, she came down onto the waiting fingers that buried themselves inside. 

Belle felt full and complete. She ground down into Red’s hip pulling her fingers deeper.  Slowly, they worked a rhythm of Red bucking up causing her fingers to go deeper as Belle ground up and down above her.  The moans were lyrical with each thrust of Red’s hips.  The need to make Belle hers and stake a claim on the librarian was there but somewhere in the Wolf’s carnal desire passion broke through.  She let her long fingers stroke inside until she found that one patch just inside that she knew would send Belle over the edge. 

Belle’s eyes lit up and darkened into a soul-shattering cobalt fire as Red took her.  Her throat was becoming raw as the need to scream was slowly fighting a battle for breaths between each new moan and whimper.  Belle leaned forward just enough to grasp Red’s breasts in her hands.  She started kneading them as a keening wail built at the base of her spine.

Feeling the flutters of the muscles around her deeply buried fingers, Red inserted another.  It was quickly buried to the hilt.  The sounds of wet slaps and skin were filling her ears and she couldn’t be happier as she watched everything play across the smaller woman’s face.  Red was lost in the sensation of giving her this fulfilling enjoyment. 

“More!” Belle shouted and Red buried another finger inside her.

Belle had never felt so open and alive before.  There was something so utterly primal in the way that Red loved her and she knew that she would enjoy every blessed moment of it.  She wasn’t going to let Ruby or Red get away from her now.  She needed this passion, this desire, this burning yearning that was building so beautifully inside her.

“More…” she whimpered and Red slowly tucked her thumb inside.

She heard Red grunt.  She was so close, but she needed more.  She didn’t know what, but she knew that Red was the only one that could give it to her.

“Red…fuck me…take me…make me…yours…” Belle begged with ragged breaths.

Before Belle finished her plea, Red had her on her hands and knees before her.  She never broke the connection of her hand buried inside Belle.  As her hips surged forward in a pounding pace pushing her hand, now a fist, deeper inside Belle with each thrust, she felt Belle give a silent scream and the tale-tell hiss of a “yes.”  After steadying herself behind Belle’s ass so that she could feel every clinch and suck of Belle around her hand, she reached around Belle’s rounded hips until her other hand snuck around the crease between her thigh and hip. 

One long, delicate finger inched itself forward until it found Belle’s mound.  Then a second finger joined it as they sought out her hooded clit.  Slowly pushing the hood away, she held on with her body as Belle’s body jerked when her fingertips touched her so intimately.  Her hand was setting a quick pace, pounding her from behind, as her fingers matched that pace, circling the highly sensitive bud.  Two long sweeps and Belle was crying out.

Her body bucked upwards and Red held her.  Both of them on their knees, Belle reached back to hold Red’s hips still as the last waves of her orgasm ravaged her quaking body.  Red leaned down to the crook of her neck and bit down.  Her fingers still circling, Belle came again with a thunderous exclamation before her body sank completely into Red’s.

Red knew that she would be sore in the morning.  She also knew that Granny would say something to her about being quiet, but in that moment she couldn’t care less.  Belle had come to her willingly and gave herself over willingly.  She might have marked Belle at the end, but she didn’t care who would see it.  There was only one person that she could think that would object to the bite and right now, in their love induced euphoria, Red couldn’t give two shits about Rumple.  He was a problem for another day, tomorrow, because tonight belonged to her and Belle and no one else.


	39. Chapter 39

Coraline lay in Will’s bed watching her get ready for the day.  She had been happy to spend the night with her the night before, but now, they needed to talk.  The conversation the night before at Regina’s had been very cryptic in areas and hopeful in others.  She wasn’t sure how she should feel about it.  She didn’t know if she should be happy that she could see the progress that her presence was making or if she should be worried because of it.

“Stop over thinking everything,” Will told her when she caught the intense look in her eyes.

“It is hard not to.  Everything that happens here affects me.  I know that the only person amongst all of you that understands that better than anyone is Ma.  She almost caused herself not to exist.  I can’t let that happen.  I know that I am not the reason that Mom and Ma get together.  But, for Mom, I am her proof that she gets her happy ending.  I can’t take that away from her.”

“You won’t.”

“Why are you so sure about it?” Coraline asked her.

Will turned from the closet and walked back to the bed.  She sat on the edge of it, next Coraline’s legs as she sat up in the bed.  She placed her hand comfortingly on Coraline’s calf and turned to face her.  A small smile crept across her face and Coraline couldn’t help but lose her thoughts in the depths of Wilhelmina’s electric blue eyes.

“I am sure about it, because I know that your mother is going to do everything in her power and everything not in her power to make sure that the future that you grew up in doesn’t exist.  Or, if by some chance it has to exist in that manner, that you aren’t alone.  That they, your moms, survive the Blackness.  Trust me, Coraline.  She wants the best for you.  She wants you to want for nothing.  Now, she knows that you will want for her love and it is tearing her up inside.  She would die for you and she does in the future.  She doesn’t do it because she knows she has to die.  We all do, well, you all do, eventually.  She does it because of the sheer amount of love that she has for you.  Yes, she was heartbroken because of Emma’s death and I won’t deny that probably helped her motivation in attacking the Blackness head on, but she wasn’t alone in that.  From what you’ve told us, Charming and even your brother did the same thing.  But, Regina wanted to make sure that you were cared for, that you survived, that you were safe, so she sent you off with Belle and Red, knowing that they would give you all that and more since she wouldn’t be there.”

“I know that.”

“Have you told Regina that?” Will asked her.

“What do you mean?”

“Have you told your mother that you forgive her for protecting you?”

“Yeah…”

“No, I mean have you really talked about it.  No, you haven’t.  You’ve told her what happened.  You’ve told her how it made you feel.  You’ve shared what happened the day you cast the spell to come back to this time.  Have you actually sat down and talked with her about that?  Have you asked her how all that made her feel?  No, you haven’t.  And, do you know how I know that you two haven’t talked about it?” Will questioned.

“How?”

“Because of the conversation we had last night after dinner.  She is trying to figure all this out in that crazy brain of hers.  She is pulling from everything that she can.  And, you still haven’t told her how much you love her, or that you forgive her.  She is trying so hard to be the person that you want to her to be, that you don’t see how it is destroying her,” Will told her.

“What would you have me do?  Tell her that I love her beyond words.  I do.  Everything that I ever did in the Enchanted Forest was for her.  I’ve told her that.  What else would I have done for her?  I’ve told her everything that I know.”

“Everything?” Will asked.

“Yes, everything.”

“What about me?” Will questioned.

“What about you?” Coraline asked in response.

“Have you told her about me?”

“What is there to tell, Will?  You aren’t in my future.  You just aren’t there.  I don’t know what that means.  I’ve tried to pull memories out to see where you are, but you just aren’t there.  I don’t know what happens to you, but I know that you’re not there to protect us.  Does that hurt me to know that?  Yes, it does.  Does it hurt Mom, too?  I am sure, but I don’t know how to fix that.  I don’t know if you weren’t there for the simple fact that you weren’t here, but now, you are.  Maybe you being here changes everything, maybe it doesn’t.  The fact of the matter is, I have no fucking clue what I am actually changing and what I am not because my memories aren’t changing.  And, if my memories aren’t changing, then maybe this was all for naught,” Coraline told her as she sat down hard on the bed, burying her head in her hands and crying.

“I don’t know what you should tell her.  She is your mother and that is between the two of you, but I still think that you need to talk to her.  She deserves to know what you do and don’t know.  She can’t make a fully informed decision without your input.”

“I know that.”

“Then why are you holding back?” Will asked her.

“Because I was hoping that I would get to spend some time with her without having to worry about the family or the Blackness or whatever big bad decide to attack Storybrooke.  For once, I was hoping for a little bit of peace and some time to actually be just her daughter and not the Swan Princess.  I am tired of being the Survivor, Will.  I just want to be a daughter, a friend, and possibly a lover to someone.  I don’t want to be what everyone is putting all their hopes and dreams into.  I don’t want to be the one that reunites the Forest and makes it whole again.  I just want to be a kid.  I just want a life with my mothers and my brother without the worry that they are going to die and I can’t stop it because I am not big enough to do anything.”

“You are giving them hope,” Will told her.

“Hope isn’t enough.”

“Sure it is,” Will replied.

“How can you say that?”

“Because hope is born from love, Coraline, and you are giving that to everyone in spades.”

 

Emma rolled over and reached across the bed trying to find Regina.  She didn’t find anything but cool sheets.  She turned further on her side and looked at the wide windows. She covered her eyes for a few seconds until they were accustomed to the light.  When she opened them again, she saw Regina’s silhouette in front of the window.

“Babe?” Emma asked, sitting up a little on her side.

“Very respectful, Miss Swan.”

“Oh, stop.  I love you.  You love me.  There is no one here to hear me call you that.  If you want, I’ll start calling you sweetie when we are in public,” Emma threatened.

“Not if you ever expect to share my bed again,” Regina countered.

“What’s wrong, Regina?”

“I don’t know.  I just don’t feel right.  There is something wrong and I can’t figure it out.”

“Magical?” Emma asked, scooting across the bed to face her more fully as she sat on the end of the bed, her heart aching for Regina because she didn’t know what was wrong.

“I don’t think so.”

“Henry or Coraline?”

“No, I don’t feel that anything is wrong with them.  Coraline is well and still with Will.  Henry is still asleep.  He won’t be up for at least another hour or so.  It is the weekend after all.  I am not sure what it is.  I just have an odd feeling.”

“Care to describe it?”

Regina turned around.  She could see the questions and worry in Emma’s viridian eyes.  She didn’t know how to tell her how she felt.  The hollowness inside wasn’t so hollow anymore.  There was a fullness that she had never felt before and grew every day that she was with Emma.  It consumed her and fanned the flames that Emma had ignited.  She was in love and she didn’t know what to do with it.  She hadn’t ever felt like this before.

“It’s consuming,” she stated as she turned around to face out the window again.

Emma, still worried about her, got up off the bed.  She walked over to where Regina was standing.  She didn’t take her in her arms like her body was screaming for her to do.  She stood back just a little waiting to see what Regina wanted, unwilling to push her in this moment.

“How so?” Emma asked.

“It just is.”

Regina turned around.  She knew that Emma had come to her, but she was surprised at how close she really was.  She looked up into those emerald eyes with a plea in her own.  Emma gave her a half smile and encircled her with her arms.  Regina buried herself in Emma’s warmth and she felt herself melting.  The bond between them made her feel whole inside, again.  She felt warm and loved in a way that she had only dreamed about, only read about, only seen others have.  She felt like Emma was her home and all she wanted to do was stay with her and build that home.  She couldn’t help the tears that she shed as she realized, finally, that wasn’t a weakness to be feared but a strength to be cultivated and built upon.  It was the greatest thing she’d ever felt.

“I love you,” the words tumbled from her mouth as she buried herself further into Emma.

At a loss for words, Emma just held her tighter.  She didn’t know what brought on this early morning show of emotion and she wasn’t going to push Regina to find out.  She just held her and waited, knowing that when she was ready, Regina would tell her.  She cradle Regina’s head against her shoulder and found that she was whispering to her in her ear.

“I’m sorry.  I just…I’ve never felt like this before.  I’ve never ached inside to be close to someone.  I’ve never needed someone to feel whole…like I do when I am with you.”

“I love you, Regina.  I understand what you are saying.  It’s okay.  I love you,” Emma told her.

“I love you, too.  I can understand now why my mother thought that love was weakness.  She had been fighting the world on her own for so long that she felt betrayed by her senses.  She couldn’t handle the heartache.  She didn’t understand what it meant to be loved.  She feared it.”

“Do you, Regina?  Do you fear your love?  Do you want to take your heart out?”

“No…never…not for love anyway.  I love you and I love Henry.  Henry taught me how to love, but you…you gave me love in a way that I had only ever dared to dream about.  I haven’t felt this complete, this whole since David.  But, it is different with you.  It is all consuming.  You are in my thoughts every second I am awake and in my dreams when I’m asleep.  All I want is to be in your arms.  When you are across the room from me, I can feel your gaze on me and I know that I am safe.  I know that you will always be there for me and I can feel your love even across town.  There is a connection between us.  I cannot deny.  I don’t want to deny it.  I want to embrace it,” Regina told her as she turned up to look into her eyes, again.

 “Then embrace it, Regina.  Don’t hide.  Let your feelings out,” Emma replied.

“I’m trying,” Regina stated.

Emma hugged her tighter.  She pushed Regina’s head into the crook of her neck.  She placed her hand on the back on the Regina’s head as she held her in place.  She turned her head just enough to kiss her temple. 

“I know, Regina.  I am not going to let you fall.  I am going to help your through this.  We are going to do together,” Emma told her.

“I know.  We are stronger together.  We’ve proven that time and again,” Regina replied.

“And, we will continue to do so, Regina, together,” Emma said.

Regina turned her head and kissed Emma.  She was glad that Emma was her equal in so many things.  Even if their love was completely ironic, Regina was grateful that Emma could keep her grounded.  She was even more grateful that Emma loved her so fiercely.

Suddenly, she was overcome again.  Her stomach was churning.  She felt a disturbing feeling in the pit of her stomach, one that she hadn’t felt in years and one that she wasn’t sure she liked.  She looked up into Emma’s eyes and her stomach dropped further.  She felt sick. 

“Regina?”

“I’m fine.  We need to get together with everyone.  We need to find a course of action.”

“Don’t do this,” Emma told her.

“Don’t do what?”

“Don’t’ change the subject.  We all know that we are going to have to fight soon, but we aren’t going to do alone.  We are going to fight as a family.  I am not going to let you go off and do this on your own because you have some crazy sense of entitlement because you were once the Evil Queen.  I’ve told you that you aren’t her, so stop acting like it,” Emma stated.

Regina saw the fire in Emma’s eyes.  She knew that she wasn’t bluffing.  Emma wasn’t going to let her fight this or anything alone ever again.  She smiled.  She’d finally found someone that thought she was worth fighting for and she was enjoying it.  It didn’t matter what she thought of herself or her position among the townsfolk; Emma would always see her as Regina, the mother of Henry and her lover.  It was just that simple for her.

“Why?”

“Why what?” Emma asked in response.

“Why do you care so much?”

“Because I love you and I am not going to let you destroy yourself at some half-assed scheme for penance.  You’ve proven yourself to me and that is all that matters.  Screw the rest of them.  Coraline is our happy ending.  Do you think that I am going to let you give that up?”

“Why wouldn’t you?  I’ve caused you and family so much pain.  I don’t deserve this.”

“Because we are looking for our happy ending, Regina.  You are mine and I am yours.  So, if you think that I am going to let you do this and destroy my happy ending again because you still have this crazy notion to punish yourself when Snow and I have already forgiven you, then you’re wrong, so very wrong.  I am not giving up on you and neither should you,” Emma stated.

She pulled Regina back into her arms.  She held her tightly trying to force her love and anything else that she could think of into Regina.  She bent her head and kissed the crown of the brunette’s head several times.  She could feel Regina giving into her and she smiled against her hair.

“What did I do to deserve you?” Regina mumbled the question.

“You cursed the entire realm, tried to kill my entire family and raise my son,” Emma quipped.

“Besides that,” Regina said with a slight laugh.

“You loved me,” Emma replied with such an fierce seriousness that Regina was taken aback.

Emerald met mahogany.  Slowly Emma raised her hand to Regina’s chin and she tipped her head back ever so slightly.  She leaned down and kissed her.  In that moment, for Regina, nothing else mattered.  She was being held by the woman she loved and she loved her in return.  Everything else was just circumstance that she could deal with.  She would find a way as long as she had Emma by her side.  She realized that their strength together would carry them on and they would save the town.  Together they would defeat this and save their growing little family.

“What?” Emma asked her feeling the smile creep across Regina’s face.

“Thank you,” she replied.

“For?”

“Never giving up on us…me…and reminding me who I can be with you,” Regina replied.

“Anytime, babe, anytime,” Emma stated and they both laughed.

Regina kissed her again.  All the pain and suffering that she thought she deserved died every time their lips touched.  Emma was her balm and she finally decided to bury herself in it.  She knew that it would still take time, but Emma was going to be the reason that she made it through.  She was the reason that she fought the darkness inside herself and tried to be a better person.  It was Emma’s love and Henry’s devotion to them both that healed the brokenness in her heart.  Every time she looked into their eyes, her childhood didn’t matter.  Every time they gave her affection and she could feel it coursing through her body, she knew that Love wasn’t weakness as she had been taught so many years ago.  It was going to be her greatest strength.

Suddenly, her stomach ached again and she pulled away from Emma.  There were questions in her eyes, but Emma didn’t stop her as she ran to the bathroom.  She barely had time to shut the door before she started retching.  She heard the small knock on the door and knew that Emma was just on the other side of it, coming to check on her. 

She looked up in to the mirror as she wiped the back of her hand across her mouth.  Her eyes were bright and cheery.  There was no reason for her to be sick.  She quickly brushed her teeth and gargled to get the taste of bile out of her mouth.  When she was done, she opened the door to see a very worried Emma staring at her.

“Sorry, I guess I just got overwhelmed,” Regina told her weakly.

“You sure?” Emma asked, her voice filled with concern.

“Yeah, I am fine.”

“Well, if you do that again, I am taking you personally to see Whale,” Emma told her.

“I would rather see Doc,” Regina replied.

“I can make that happen, too.”

Regina just smiled at her.  She knew that Emma wasn’t going to let her suffer.  Besides, she felt fine.  There was no reason for her to be sick.  She had just gotten too emotional and her body reacted.  It wasn’t the first time something like that had happened to her, but it was the first time since she was a teenager.  She just brushed it off.  She’d be fine because they had to save Coraline.  She wasn’t sick.  She couldn’t be.  She was just overwhelmed.

 

Snow and Charming were sitting at their breakfast table.  She had just finished cooking something for them to eat.  She was plating things up when Henry came barreling in the door.  Snow gave him a strange look but didn’t say anything.  Henry ran into the kitchen, grabbed himself a plate of food and some utensils, and then sat down at the table with them.

“Well, good morning, buddy,” Charming said to him.

“Morning, Grandpa,” he replied.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know.   Mom and Ma weren’t up.  I was hungry and I figured that you had something ready to eat,” Henry said and then ate a forkful of eggs.

“Well, you’re welcome,” Snow said, smirking at her teenage grandson.

“Sorry.  I know that I should have called first, but I didn’t think that you’d mind.  Mom and Ma have been so preoccupied with finding a way to stop Rumple that they’ve forgotten about me a little bit,” Henry replied in between bites.

“They haven’t forgotten about you, Henry,” Snow started.

“Okay, I know that.  That came out wrong.  I understand it and I get it.  I don’t blame them, but there is something else too.  Mom seems different,” Henry stated.

“Different how?” Charming asked.

“I can’t explain it.  She just seems…different.  She doesn’t want to be away from Emma and if she is, she has to have Will near her.  I don’t get it.  It is like she doesn’t want to be alone.”

Snow gave Charming a strange look.  She didn’t know what to think of what Henry was saying.  Charming gave her a reassuring smile.  She smiled back and wondered if Regina and Emma knew that Henry had left the house this early in the morning.

“I’ll call Emma,” she said, getting up from the table.

Charming and Henry kept eating.  Snow just shook her head as she went into the other room and picked up the phone.  She sat down on the edge of her bed and dialed Emma’s cell.  She waited for Emma to pick up, trying to figure out why Regina would be acting weird enough for Henry to pick up on it.  She could only wonder how worried Henry really was if he was telling her about it.  The phone rang several times before it went to voicemail.  She looked up from the floor and met Charming’s eyes.  He could see the look of worry in her eyes.  He mimed for her to try again or try another number for Emma or Regina.  She dialed another number and Emma answered.

“What’s wrong, Snow?” she asked on the other end of the line.

“I was just calling to let you know that Henry is here with us,” Snow replied.

“He is?”

“It seems that he was hungry so he came over.  He did mention that you and Regina were sleeping in a little today.  I am sure he thought that you all needed it after last night.”

“He is so considerate.  I am sorry if he woke you.  He knows that he should have called first.”

“He’s worried about his moms,” Snow said.

“I know, Mom.  I do, but I don’t know what to do for him.  We are giving him everythingt hat we can, but I don’t know that it is enough.  Even Coraline is spending as much time as she can with him, but we’ve just been preoccupied with trying to stop Rumple,” Emma stated.

“He knows that.  He appreciates it, I’m sure.  He is still worried.”

“Why would you say that?” Emma questioned.

“He said something about Regina acting a little different.  It must be something if Henry’s picked up on it.  It doesn’t sound like a bad thing to me.  It just seems that Regina wants to make sure that everything works out with this.  I wouldn’t be too worried about it yet, but just remember that your father and I are here if you need us,” Snow offered.

“I know, Mom and we appreciate it.”

“Well, let me get back to breakfast with the boys.  I need to get Neal ready for a fun day at the park with the rest of the kids.  Don’t want to stop and make Rumple think that he can keep the town hostage while he tries to do whatever he is going to do, right?”

“Right, Mom.  Just be careful.  Call us if you need us.”

“I’ll take Henry with us.  I think he could use some time to burn off some pent up energy.  I know that Neal will love having him there to play,” Snow stated.

“That sounds great, Snow.  Just call me when you are tired of him and I’ll come get him.  Have fun and tell him to behave.  If he needs money for something, I’ll pay you back later,” Emma said and Snow could hear some slight anxiety in Emma’s voice.

“There’s no worries about that, Emma.  He’s our grandson.  It’ll be our treat to spend some time with him.  It isn’t like we can’t keep up with him like normal grandparents.  Take care of Regina, Emma.  We’ll see you later, maybe for lunch at Granny’s?” Snow suggested in a question.

“Yeah, sounds perfect.  Talk to you later, Mom.  Have fun,” Emma replied ringing off.

Snow looked at the phone.  She could tell that Emma was distracted.  She hadn’t sounded sleepy.  She sounded perfectly awake.  She had been surprised that Henry had left the house. She shook it off knowing that Emma would tell her if there was something wrong.  She just figured that they needed some personal time. 

She still wasn’t completely used to the idea of Emma and Regina being together, but she was making strides.  She could agree that they complimented each other very well and they were a challenging couple.  It wasn’t a bad thing.  It reminded her a lot of how she and Charming were in the beginning.  They challenged each other, but it also meant that when one was weak the other was strong enough for the both of them.  She could only smile because she felt bad for anything or anyone that stood in their way.  Emma had made it clear that she would fight her own parents to be with Regina. She knew where Emma got her fierce determination from and she knew that Emma would do it.  She’d fought Regina and George to be with Charming. Her grin got even bigger as she thought about all the obstacles between her and Charming in the beginning.  She could only hope that Emma and Regina didn’t have to go through all that to find their happy ending.  They’d already been through enough apart to have to fight to stay together so hard.  They deserved their happy ending and Snow was willing to fight on their side for it.

She went back into the kitchen and sat at the table.  She smiled at Charming and then Henry.  She gave Charming a small glance.  He knew by it that she would tell him more later when they were at the park, but for now, everything was okay and that was all he needed to know.

“I talked to Emma, Henry,” Snow told him.

“Yeah?”

“She was awake.  She is upset that you didn’t tell them you were coming over, but she was happy that you thought they needed to sleep in.  She told me that you could spend the day with us and Henry.  We are heading to the park.  I know how much you like playing with your little uncle and I know he enjoys it, too,” Snow told him.

“Sounds like fun,” Henry replied.

“We could work on your footwork and sword play while Snow and rest have their playdate,” Charming offered.

“Sounds perfect,” Henry stated.

“You sure?”

“I love you both.  Yeah, I want to hang out with him.  It’s the weekend and there is no school.  I am game for anything that doesn’t keep me cooped up in the house all day,” Henry replied.

“Then, finish eating and then will go,” Snow told them, smiling at her big impromptu family park play date, thinking that the only thing that would make it better was Emma and Regina.

She made a mental note to invite them out again later.  She would wait for Aurora and Ella to leave before she asked them to join them.  She knew that Emma would mind the other women and their children, but she wasn’t sure how Regina would react to them if she was out of sorts like Henry had described.  It was better to be safe than sorry later.  Snow liked to maintain the peace and Regina knew that.  It was the one thing that Regina and Snow had always agreed on after the curse ended.  It was Snow’s greatest achievement according to Regina and she wasn’t going to fight it because she knew how important the peace was between the people of the town.

 

Rumple had spent the night in the woods.  He had camped out near the well.  He wasn’t surprised that nothing else had come out.  He wasn’t hoping that something else would come, but he was hoping that the portal was still open so he could go through.  He wasn’t disheartened though.  He would just try again.

He shook himself off as he stood up.  He brushed the leaves and dirt off himself.  He walked over to the well and looked down into it.  The swirl of the spell was gone.  He wasn’t sure if it had timed out or Emma and Regina simply closed it.  It didn’t matter.  It was closed and he would have to open it again. 

He would go visit the Abbey today.  He knew that the fairies had left to take refuge elsewhere when he was attacking it earlier in the week.  He didn’t think that they would have returned so quickly.  He could hope that the barriers were down.  If they were, he would know that Emma and Regina moved whatever they thought that he wanted away from the Abbey.  It didn’t matter to him though.  He wanted to know what was there and he would take it.  It was a simple plan, too simple, but he needed new stock.

He didn’t care what he would find in their holds.  It would be enough for him to create or combine into what he needed.  They didn’t understand dark magic like he did.  He knew that Regina could have spoiled this for him, but he doubted that she had thought that far ahead and against him.  They had been too worried about keeping him out of the Abbey more than they were worried about preventing him from doing anything else.

He started stomping through the forest.  He could have poofed himself to the Abbey but he didn’t want to waste any energy day.  He needed to keep a supply ready for him to poof back and forth from the Abbey as he stole their magicks and potions.  He knew that they might stumble upon him as he was working on getting what they had stored, but he didn’t care.  He would deal with that when the time came.  But for now, he would just walk to the Abbey.

 

“That’s the last of it, Blue,” Tink told her put the vials in the wall cabinet.

“You’re sure?”

“Yep,” Tink replied.

“Good.  Now, Rumple won’t have anything to work with.  I’ll let Regina know that we’ve gotten everything out of the Abbey.  Are you going to stay here for a while?” Blue asked her.

“Yeah, I am.  I call Regina in a few and tell her to come to her vault to cast some spells of protection.  I know that you and I are going to do some on the vault, but I know that she’ll want to add her own.  It is her vault.”

“I am still surprised that she is letting us hide them here,” Blue mused.

“It is only until she can think of somewhere else to hide them from Rumple.  We all know that he will think of coming here after he finds out that Abbey doesn’t have anything.  You need to go find a better hiding place.  I’ll stay here.  I am sure that Regina will be here soon,” Tink said.

“I am sure that she will,” Blue answered.  “Be careful and stay low.  If you need help, you know what to do.  We will all be here as fast as we can.”

“I know,” Tink replied as she sat down on a stone bench in the vault.

Blue nodded to her.  She whipped her wand around and shrunk herself, knowing it would be easier for her to move about town if she was smaller.  She left the vault in Tink’s hands and hoped that Regina and Emma got there before Rumple found out the Abbey was empty.

Tink looked around the vault.  She’d been in there before but now seeing it covered with fairy potions and magical tomes.  It looked out of place, but she knew that Regina was no longer the Evil Queen.  It meant a lot to Blue that Regina had even opened her vault to them.  She knew that they had an unlikely alliance, but Coraline had brought them together in a way that no one else could. 

She smiled.  Coraline was her charge and Regina’s daughter, but she was so much more to the town.  She had heard her floating a title around.  She really was the “Swan Princess” even if she didn’t accept the position completely.  It reminded her of Emma.  But, it was the other title that she used that worried her the most.  Coraline called herself the “Survivor.”  She knew that she’d survived so much in the future, but was there a way that Tink and the rest of the fairies could protect her?  Coraline was special.  She could sense it.  She would learn a lot from Blue, but she wondered if it would be enough. 

She smiled.  She and Blue had come together again because of Coraline.  She was both of their charges because of her strange lineage.  She was both a Charming through Emma and a Mills through Regina.  She was one of the most protected beings by the fairies.  She knew that even Nova would protect her, too. 

She sat back and took in the magical environment.  She could feel the magic that surrounded her. She could understand the longer that she sat there how Rumple and Regina were tempted by the darker side of magic.  It could be intoxicating and the longer she sat there, the more she understood Regina’s pull to magic in general.

“Hey Tink!” Nova said coming down into the vault to join her.

“Hey, Nova.  Why are you here?  Did Blue send you?”

“Yeah, she did.  She wanted to make sure that everything was okay.  Plus, she knows that Grumpy and the rest of the dwarves are down in the mine digging for more dust to help us once we are done dealing with Rumple.  Plus, I thought that you might like some company until Regina and Emma get down here to seal it up further.”

“You know that I’ll never say no to that,” Tink told her.

“So, how is working with Coraline going?” Nova asked her.

“She is learning quickly, but Regina is working with her too.  I don’t know what it is going to do for her.  She won’t have any of it to help her past,” Tink replied.

“No, but it will make it easier for us to leave notes for her.  But, I don’t think anyone has thought of that, have they?  We should record everything that Coraline has told us and everything that we do in order to help her learn to control her magic,” Nova stated.

“That is an awesome idea,” Tink said.

She thought about the idea.  It was sound an idea.  She would talk to Regina about it when she comes to the vault.  She would do what she could before Regina said it was okay for her to make journals to help them when Regina had Coraline for real. 

“I’ll talk to her about it.”

“So, what else is going with you?”

“Nothing, just trying to help the town and make my way as a fairy.  I haven’t been doing much else but doing my studies with Blue and trying to learn more about being a better fairy.  I didn’t get much training before, but that is also because Blue kicked me out of the flock.”

“Well, that is true,” Nova commented.

“So what do you want to do?” Tink asked her.

“I don’t know.  Want to look around?  We could see what Regina has buried in here.”

“We’ll have to be quick because I know that Regina should be here soon,” Tink replied.


	40. Chapter 40

Regina sat on the sofa and stared at the fireplace.  She was actually surprised that Emma had left her there, but she knew that Emma needed to confer with her mother and Red about their options regarding Rumple.  She knew that Emma only left her because she didn’t feel good and the fact that she would be dealing with Snow.  She could only smile at the fact that Emma was putting Regina first in allowing her to not to have to deal with her overly happy mother.

She was relaxing with some tea and a book.  She hoped that it would calm her turbulent stomach.  She had just taken another sip and turned the page when there was a knock at the door.  She got up and answered the door, completely surprised to see Ruby standing there.

“Ruby?” Regina asked as she moved back to let her in the house.

“Emma said that you weren’t feeling well.”

“I wasn’t, but I am feeling a little better now.  Did you need me for something?  What’s wrong with the meeting of the Charmings and their plans?” Regina asked.

“No, no, they are all fine.  I don’t need anything that I can think of.  I just wanted to come over and make sure that you were okay,” Ruby answered.

She continued on to the living room and sat clown on the couch.  Regina just watched her go.  She shook her head and then followed her younger sister into living room.  She sat down beside her and picked her tea cup taking a sip.  Ruby watched her and Regina could feel that it was with more scrutiny than normal.  Regina let her eyes go cold as her sister’s hazel eyes danced with mischief.

“What?” Regina asked her as she put her cup back on coffee table in front of her.

“You’re different,” Ruby answered.

“So are you,” Regina quipped.

Ruby cocked her eyebrow, but didn’t take the bait.  She knew that Regina was hinting at something and she wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of getting a rise out of her.  She sat back in the corner of the couch and just stared at her, waiting for Regina to break and tell her what was wrong.

“What do you want, Ruby?” Regina asked with a little more of her normal fire.

“There is my sister.”

“Ruby, seriously.  I don’t feel like banter right now.  What do you need with me?  What’s wrong?   Has something happened that I don’t know about?”

“Well, nothing major of any consequence,” Ruby stated.

“I don’t care if you and Belle finally came to your senses.  Ruby, that was your decision and her decision.  You are both mature adults, for the most part, and what you do in the privacy of your own home is your business,” Regina told her, letting her annoyance at Ruby’s disturbing her peace and tranquility while trying to feel better show through.

“I know that,” Ruby replied.

“Then, what is it that you want?” Regina asked with more anger.

“Have you told her yet?” Ruby questioned.

“Told who what?” Regina inquired in exasperation.

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Ruby told her.

“I am not playing dumb, Ruby.  I honestly don’t know what you are talking about.  So do you care to explain it to me before I lose my patience with you?” Regina asked.

“You don’t know either, do you?”

“Be plain, Ruby.  I don’t feel good and I am not following your innuendos well today.  What don`t I know?  What could you possibly know about me that I don’t already know?”

Ruby just looked at her and smiled.  She pulled her sister into her and hugged her fiercely.  She knew what she was about to tell her would freak Regina out tremendously, but she needed to know and she needed to know now.

“Regina, you’re pregnant,” Ruby said as softly as she could slowly pulling away from Regina and staring into her deep brown eyes.

The shock hit Regina full force.  She pulled away from Ruby like she was burning her.  The fear in her eyes was evident.  So many thoughts run through her head, but being pregnant had never crossed her mind.  She tried to regain some composure, but she knew that she was failing.

“I’m what?”

“You’re pregnant,” Ruby said again softly.

“How can I be pregnant?” Regina asked her.

“Well…”

“I know how it could happen, but I haven’t slept with a man.  The only person that I’ve been with lately has been Emma.  But that isn’t the only reason that I can’t have children, Ruby.”

“You still haven’t have told Coraline or Emma about that, either?” Ruby asked surprised.

“I didn’t know how,” Regina replied. 

She was pacing.  She was anxious.  Ruby just watched her, unsure of what to say to her sister.

“Sit down, Regina.  Talk to me.  Tell me what you are thinking,” Ruby urged her.

“I can’t have children, Ruby.  You know that.  Snow even knows that.  I told her that years ago, but she hasn’t said anything at all.  She has accepted Coraline’s words.”

“Do you believe that she is your daughter?” Ruby questioned her.

She was trying to figure out what Regina’s mindset was.  She wasn’t sure that Regina wasn’t questioning the entire ordeal that they were dealing with.  She looked into her troubled mahogany eyes and hoped that Regina wasn’t thinking anything horrible.

“I believe that she is my daughter as much as Henry is my son,” Regina answered as she sat down in a cream colored high backed chair.

Regina leaned her head into her hands.  She stared at the carpet.  Her mind was going back to the day she cursed herself.  Ruby knew the story.  She’d been told it many years ago.  She was wondering when this was going to rear its ugly head against Regina.  She wondered just like her older sister if she was truly cursed to not have a happy ending.  Ruby watched her.  Regina was confused and hurt.  She didn’t know what to do.  She didn’t know what to say.

“Regina?”

“What?” Regina asked her, looking up and meeting her eyes.

“Didn’t Coraline explain it to you?” Ruby questioned.

“Explain what?”

“That she was made from magic and love,” Ruby stated.

“She did say she was made out of True Love.”

“And isn’t that the greatest magic of all?”

Regina looked at her sister.  Why was it that Ruby was so calm about this?  How did she understand exactly what Regina was thinking and know what to say in order to make her feel better about the situation.  Regina didn’t know.  She was thankful for Ruby’s insight, but she didn’t understand where it came from.

She sank further in the chair.  Her own fears were negating her own hopes.  She’d never sat back and thought about it all since Coraline had come.  She had just accepted it.  She and Emma both.  There had been no discussion.  She just understood that it was magic that finally gave her the happy endings that she wanted.  She had a family that loved her.

But, looking back on everything that Coraline said, she began to wonder why she didn’t question any of it.  And, then she remembered why.  Emma.  It had been her infectious and damnable Charming hope that assuaged her fears.  Any questions that she might have asked herself or Coraline about it were pushed aside by Emma’s loving presence.  Because she believed Emma when she said that together they could conquer anything, defeat anything and survive anything.  She didn’t need to look any further than that.  Emma gave her hope, a hope that she dared not think about since she was a young child.

Maybe that was it.  Emma was the Savior.  She gave everyone hope by just living in the town.  She’d broken curses.  She’d defeated monsters.  But, as Regina thought about all that Emma had down, she could not help but see herself beside Emma every step of the way.  They had been doing it together.  Emma had become her partner long before she even realized that she loved her.  They really did do magic together.  It was like destiny was pushing them together, but it wasn’t fairy dust or a prophecy that did it.  It was their own magic.  They were drawn to each other like Charming and Snow had been.  Regina had blind to see it because of her own fears.

“She loves me…” she whispered as she came to her conclusions.

“She does,” Ruby replied.

“And we are going to have a daughter because of our magic together…”

“You are and she is beautiful.”

“She is magical,” Regina said, looking up and meeting Ruby’s eyes.

“She is and she is the perfect blend of her mothers,” Ruby told her.

“I’m pregnant.”

“Yes, you are.”

“We can’t tell anyone yet,” Regina suddenly said.

“Why the Hell not?”

“I don’t know.  I want to be sure.  I need to be sure.”

“Sure about what?  Regina, what’s wrong?  Emma is going to be thrilled.  Why would you hide this from her?  You love her.  You have to tell her,” Ruby demanded.

“I know I do, but with everything that is going on, this will make her worry more.  Plus, if what Coraline said is true, then we have to start my provisions for the return to the Enchanted Forest.  My pregnancy is like an omen to the end of Storybrooke and the coming Darkness.  We have to figure out how to deal with all of that,” Regina explained.

“O…kay…I get that, but Emma still deserves to know.  Everything.  You need to tell her everything, Regina.  If she finds out later, she’ll be hurt.  You love her.  Tell her.”

“I need to see Doc first,” Regina stated.

“To confirm what I am telling you?”

“Yes…”

“Oh, Regina.  Always needing your proof.  Come on then, I’ll take you to see Whale.”

“That poor excuse of a man is not touching me,” Regina stated through clenched teeth.

“Well, if you go to Doc, Snow will find out.  You know that the dwarves can’t keep a secret.  Besides they are all down in the mines looking for more pixie dust.  If you go down there looking for him, then the other guys are going to know that something is up and go find Snow and Emma.  They’ll tell them that you are looking for Doc and then Emma gets hurt.”

“Fine, we’ll go to the hospital, but I won’t see Whale.  We’ll have to find someone else there.  I am not going to let that man touch me.  We’ll have to do it in secret, too.”

“Don’t want the town finding out just yet?” Ruby questioned.

“Something like that.  Once I have my proof, I’ll tell Emma and then we’ll go from there.  But, whoever I see can’t tell anyone else.  Ruby, you have to promise me that you won’t tell anyone until I talk to Emma about this.  I just…”

“Okay, Regina, I get it.  She is your partner and she should know first.  I’ll be good and pretend when y’all decide to tell everyone else.”

“Thank you,” Regina replied.

She stood up as did Ruby.  When she met her sister’s eyes again, she could see the depth of love that she knew that Ruby had for her and for Coraline.  She also knew how much Ruby loved Emma, and not just because she was her Godmother. 

She suddenly felt nauseous again.  She held a long delicate finger up as she ran for the bathroom.  Ruby just smiled at her, as she remembered Snow when she was in the early stages of pregnancy with Emma.  It was going to be an interesting nine months with Regina.  Emma had no idea what she was in for and Ruby couldn’t help but giggle at the thoughts as she heard Regina being ill.

 

Emma, Coraline, Will, Snow and Belle sat that table staring at each other.  Emma kept her cell phone on the table in front of her.  They all knew that she was worried about Regina.  Snow for her part knew that Regina didn’t get sick often, so whatever it was that had Regina down, it must be something bad.  Belle was looking into the symptoms that Emma told her that Regina was displaying, but nothing was standing out. 

“Have we heard anything from the fairies?” Snow asked, trying to bring the topic back at hand.

“Not yet.  They moved everything to the vault.  We’ve put all the spells we could think of on it.  The fairies went back to the Abbey.  Everything seems to be okay right now, but for how long we don’t know,” Coraline stated.

“I’ve set traps around town that will alert us to anything that Rumple might conjure up to use against us.  I think that we have protected everything that we can for now.  Unfortunately the only thing that we can do right now is wait to see what he does,” Will told them.

“And, that is the scariest part,” Snow replied.

“He is going to be looking for things he needs to open the portal again.  From what Ruby and Emma found, it’s closed for now.  We don’t know what he has, but we know what he needs.  We also know where he will go to look for it.  We should watch the Abbey,” Belle suggested.

“David and I can take turns patrolling out there,” Emma offered.

“No, it is too dangerous for you two,” Coraline stated.  “If anyone goes out there, it will be me or Will.  No offense, Ma, but we are better equipped to handle the Dark One.”

“I’m not offended, Coraline, but you know that your mother is not going to let you do that.  There is no amount of convincing that you can do that is going to make Regina think that it is a good idea for you to go out there alone.  As your other mother, I am not sure I like the idea, but I know that I can’t stop you.  You are my daughter and you have a mind of your own.  Will I like the idea, no, but I might just go out there with you.  You know two swords are generally better than one,” Emma told her.

“I get that, but you can’t hurt,” Coraline stated.

“And, you can?” Emma asked.

Everyone at the table stiffened.  They understood Emma’s hesitance and Coraline’s need to prove that she could handle herself, but they also understood Rumple’s ruthlessness.  He wasn’t as blasé and trivial as Coraline liked to pretend that he was.  She knew it, but she didn’t have time to worry about it.

“I am not saying that I won’t get hurt.  I am saying that it won’t matter.  I can take it.”

“Take what?!?” Emma questioned pushing back from the table.

Snow had never seen her so upset.  She was proud of her daughter, but seeing her like this was new.  She was coming into her own as mother and she understood Emma’s hesitance with Coraline because she was already grown.  But, she also knew that Emma understood Coraline and her upbringing better than anyone else in Storybrooke ever would.  They were too much alike for their own good sometimes.  She had felt the same way about Emma and then they had fallen through the portal to the Enchanted Forest.  They had bonded then because Emma needed her.  The problem was, Snow thought, that Coraline didn’t need Emma…now.

“Hear her out,” Snow urged, trying to calm Emma with a hand on her arm.

Emma turned and stared at her mother.  Her green eyes were fiery and angry, but they softened just a little when they met her mother’s calm and loving hazel.  She took a deep breath and waved her hand at the table signaling Coraline to explain further what she meant.

“It won’t be a problem for me to face him, Ma, because I am not from this time.”

“Don’t you dare finish that thought…” Emma started.

“Why?  It’s true.  You know that.  Nothing that happens to me now is going to affect my future.  You know that.  You have believe that,” Coraline stated.

“You cannot die here…” Emma replied.

“If I do, it won’t matter.  I will still be born.  I will still live.  I came here to change my future.  If I die here and it alters my future, it will be alright in time.  But, you won’t know for a few years, I get that.  I won’t ever know because I doubt that you will tell little Remy about her adult-self named Coraline.  There will be no need because the Darkness wouldn’t have come to destroy everything,” Coraline explained.

“I will not let you die to save us from some unknown future,” Emma said with a finality.

“Oh, but is okay for you to go off and sacrifice yourself anytime the people need it, huh?” Coraline fired back with just as much emotion as Emma had.

Belle, Will, and Snow backed up from the table and quietly left the room.  They all knew that this conversation had been brewing for some time between them.  For Coraline, it had been over twenty years.  For Emma, it had been a few months.  But, it was still a familial matter.

“Is that what you are mad about?” Emma asked her.

“Is what?”

“The fact that I died trying to defend our family,” Emma replied.

“Why wouldn’t it be?  I don’t remember you ever being home.  I barely know who the hell you are because you were always off fighting something to defend the kingdoms.  When you were home, you and mom were holed up in your rooms.  I was too young to understand it at the time, but when she wasn’t healing you with magic she was using her body.  She did everything that she could to keep you home and send the troops in your stead, but it never worked.  I know that it hurt her, even if she understood it.  It wasn’t fair…to any of us,” Coraline shouted at her.

“I am not saying it was, but at least you had a loving home and parents that cared for you.  You weren’t tossed from home to home wondering where your next meal would come from.  You knew who you were and who your parents were.  You knew that you were loved.  There was never any doubt of that, even from Ruby and Belle.  Yes, it seems that I died in battle trying to defend the kingdom.  But, that is my job as a Princess of the Realm.  Just as it will be yours one day.  But, that doesn’t give you the right to come back here, make us love you for the woman you’ve become and then go off and die.  I am not going to allow it.  And, you think that I am wrong for thinking that, then wait until I tell your mother,” Emma warned her.

“Go ahead.  You can’t stop me.  And, I far as I know right now, nothing that I have done has stopped the Darkness from coming.  None of my memories have changed.  None of the journals have changed.  So, it seems that I have come here for nothing.  You still die,” Coraline yelled.

“That maybe and maybe that is my destiny.  Maybe I have always been destined to die protecting the family that I love.  God knows that it’s almost happened here enough.  But, that doesn’t mean that I am going to sit back and watch you die when I know that there is something that I could be doing in order to keep that from happening.  You’re my daughter.  I am not going to willingly just let you go.  I can’t,” Emma yelled back at her.

“But, you are allowed to go off into a battle knowing that you won’t come home.  You’re allowed to go fight and sacrifice yourself for me and I don’t get any say in it.  Tell me how that is fair.  Tell me how I am supposed to deal with that.  Because any way I look at it, it is just shit.”

“It is.  It is shit, Coraline.  It always will be.  The adults will go fight to protect the children.  Do you know why?  Because they hope that they can stop the trouble, that they can defeat the enemy and give their children, their progeny, a better life because of it.  But, you’re right it is total shit.”

“I can’t accept that!” Coraline screamed at her.

“I know you can’t.  But, I had to accept that my father put in a tree and sent me here to protect me.  But, it was more than that.  They made the decision to send me away to protect themselves.  I have had a prophecy hanging over my head since before I was born.  Try living with that once you find out.  You didn’t have that.  And, the fact that I was and always will be the Savior isn’t going to change.  Your mother will always be the Evil Queen and our union will be considered the most ironic thing to happen, especially to your Grams Snow.  But listen to me.  I am and will always be your mother first, as will Regina.  Everything that we do or will do will be for you and Henry.  Fuck the town.  Fuck all the people.  Our loyalty lies with our family.  Yeah, we’ll defend the town and save it, but do you know why?”

“No,” Coraline said, almost sobbing.

“Because you’re in it.  It has nothing to do with protecting the people.  I could care less about half of them, but my family lives here.  This is my home and I will defend it.  Our family is crazy and the lines are a little blurry in places, but now that I have it and I know that I am going to have you, I will do anything to protect that,” Emma explained to her.

“But that isn’t fair,” Coraline argued.

“No, it isn’t.  And, honestly, it never will be.  But, you have to know that your mother and I love you very much and everything that we do, here now and then in the Enchanted Forest, we are doing for you.  Even in your memories, your mother tries to help you as soon as she knows who you are.  Even when she becomes the Black Queen, she fights the demons inside her to send you away, to send you here, to protect you from herself.  She wouldn’t do that if she didn’t love you.  She wouldn’t do that if she didn’t care.  We love you, Coraline.  And, yes, I might die fighting the Darkness in the future.  But, I will welcome that fate if I know that it means you will survive and you will thrive.  I know that it isn’t in the best of conditions, but you are still alive.  That is all that matters to me,” Emma told her.

“But you aren’t there…” Coraline whispered through chocking sobs.

 

Rumple licked his lips.  His face burned and his hands were torn apart but he had finally gotten through the barriers to the magic hall that the fairies had hidden at the Abbey.  The purely maniacal and slightly carnal smile that he gave as he neared the cellar door was very unnerving.  He was absolutely giddy.  He had won.  He had finally gotten in where others had failed and he didn’t even have to kill any of the fairies, much to his dismay. 

He stood outside the heavy wooden door and just smiled.  Now that he was there, he wasn’t sure what he was going to find once he got inside.  He had only heard rumors of what the storage area looked like.  And, no matter how many times he had tried to trip Tink or Nova up, they didn’t give him anything to go on.  He wasn’t even sure that they even knew what he was talking about.  As he studied the door, he started to believe that only Blue knew the true power that was behind the solid oaken door. 

He blasted the door open and stepped inside.  He could smell the magic and he could feel the remnants of magics from the past.  He looked around only to find empty shelves.  The oak and mahogany hand-carved shelves were all empty.  There were a few empty bottles and vials.  There was nothing there for him. 

He stood there in shock.  The entire storage area had either been emptied or Blue had lied about having back up ingredients for Regina and Emma to use.  He cocked his head as he walked around the room, still in disbelief that it was empty.  He tried to contemplate why Blue would lie about such things and then he wondered why they would bother to erect the barriers if there was nothing here to protect.

“They were playing me…” he mused aloud.

He laughed.  They had played him, but to what extent.  He wanted to do something, but he didn’t know who he should be punishing for this fiasco.  At this point in his meanderings, he didn’t care.  He would punish the town if he had to.  He wanted his ingredients and he wanted them now.  He looked around trying to figure out what would be the best way to punish the town and still find a way to get what he wanted.

He smiled.  He walked up the stairs from the magical cellar.  The grin didn’t leave his face as he made his way through the Abbey and back to the woods.  He knew what he could unleash on the town.  They would never see it coming and they would be so worried with dealing with it that they wouldn’t notice him raiding his own shop and then Regina’s house.  He would get what he needed and he would get it quickly enough. 

They had dealt with the ogre quickly enough.  He needed something that would take them a while to deal with completely.  He knew that he would figure out while he walked back to the well.  He wanted to check on it.  He needed to know how it was holding up since the ogre came through.  He knew that as soon as he got the right things together that he would do the spell again and get the well to open up permanently.  It was all just a matter of time and then he would be ruling over Storybrooke.  He would make them all rue the day that they turned against the Dark One.  He would make them understand that crossing him was the worst mistake that they could have ever made.  He needed something big…big and difficult to kill.

 

Snow, Belle and Will were standing outside the library.  They had gone outside because it was a nice day and to give Emma and Coraline more privacy.  Snow wanted to go back in and say something but she knew that her daughter and her granddaughter needed to get it out of their systems. 

“They’ll be alright,” Will told her.

“I know.  It just reminds me of the day that Emma yelled at me.  It is hard to learn what you thought that you did in order to help your child, hindered them more than you would ever know.  It is hard to learn that the decisions that you made to save the family cost you your child.”

“You didn’t lose Emma, Snow,” Belle replied.

“Didn’t I?  She isn’t a baby.  She is a grown woman.  And while I am technically older than her, because of the curse…I am younger.  I am only a few years younger than her, but I am still younger than her for her mentality,” Snow stated.

“But, she still comes to you like you are her mother, doesn’t she?” Will asked her.

“For the most part, but I know that I missed out on so much.  We are more like friends than we are mother and daughter.  And, strangely enough, I am okay with that.  I know that my relationship with Neal is different.  Even Emma’s relationship with Neal is different.  She cares for him like an older sister should, but there is more to it.”

“She cares for him when he’s with her like he is her own,” Belle stated.

“Yeah, she does,” Snow replied.

“She really is the protector of your family,” Will said.

“She is.  She had been looking for a real family for so long that when hers found her, she didn’t know what to do.  I can’t blame her for fighting us at every turn in the beginning.  She hadn’t had a good life and she only had a dream, a thought about what she thought a family should be.  When we finally showed her that we weren’t going to let her go again, she realized that she had a home here.  She had a family here that was willing to do whatever it took to stay together.  It is what she always wanted and now she isn’t willing to lose it.  She will fight until her last breath to keep this family alive and together,” Snow explained.

“What are you going to do?” Belle asked her.

“Nothing.  It isn’t my place.  This is between Emma and Coraline.  I can only support them.”

“Spoken like a true mother,” Will stated.

Snow smiled at her.  She knew that Will and Belle were just trying to be there for her.  They knew that Snow wanted to be in there with Emma and Coraline.

They were just standing there when they saw Ruby and Regina driving passed.  It was shortly after they drove by that Emma and Coraline came out of the library.  Snow turned to face them worried about her daughter and her granddaughter. 

She could tell that they were a little worse for wear, but they had come to terms with their relationship both in the present and Coraline’s future.  She could see the tear stains on their faces.  She could see the tiredness in their eyes. 

“Are you two alright?” Snow asked them.

Emma looked into her mother’s hazel eyes.  She could see the worry and the love.  But, at the moment, Emma didn’t want her mother, she needed a friend.  Snow could sense that and she knew exactly what to do with her daughter.

“Good. Now what are we going to do with Rumple?  We need to be on the same page about this,” Snow told them hoping that it would spur Emma into action.

“We need to keep him busy until we can get him over the line,” Emma stated.

“We are just going to banish him?” Belle asked, joining in the conversation.

“It’s the best thing that we can do.  It won’t kill him so the evil that is connected to the Dark One won’t be looking for another host.  He would still be the Dark One but he wouldn’t have any powers.  It is a win-win for us.  He’d be banished from the town.”

“Emma, that sounds great, but he is Rumple.  He’ll just find a way back into town.  There has to be something else that we can to make sure that he won’t just come back,” Will stated.  “We all know that he is the king of loopholes.  I am sure that he put one in the curse so he could leave and come back to Storybrooke at will.  We need to get a copy of the curse and study it.”

“I doubt that Regina is going to let anyone get close to the curse,” Belle stated.

“I thought that she destroyed when she used it to counter act Pan’s version of the curse.”

“She did,” Emma added.

“So, how do we deal with this, then?”

“The second curse was done by you, Mom.  When you cast it, did you put some sort of loophole in it?  Did you think about anything like that?” Emma asked her.

“No, I didn’t.  Regina cast it for the most part.  All I did was give up the heart of your father, because I had to give up the thing that I loved the most at that moment.”

“Wait,” Coraline stated, interrupting Snow.

“What’s wrong?” Belle asked, realizing that Coraline just had new information that she didn’t know and somehow it could helpful in her quest against the Darkness.

“Gramps died in the Enchanted Forest so you could cast the second curse to bring everyone back here?” Coraline questioned.

“Yeah, he decided that he should sacrifice himself for the curse.  In doing so, he knew that he would be sending me back to have Neal on my own, but he was worried about Emma and Henry.  Not having them with us almost destroyed us.  We needed to have our family whole and the only way to do that was to get back to Emma and Henry.”

“What happened?” Coraline asked.

“Did you never hear about this?” Belle inquired.

“No, no one ever told me what happened that day.  I need to know more.  It is important.  I need you to tell me everything that you remember about that day,” Coraline told them.

Snow looked at her oddly.  She couldn’t believe that they were discussing the curse in the middle of the street just outside the library.  She thought that maybe they should take the conversation inside so everyone could talk about it calmly.

“Just tell me about it.”

“Charming decided to give up his heart in order for us to cast the curse.  Regina and I weren’t sure that it was going to be the best idea, but he had a logical argument.  I couldn’t give up my heart because I was pregnant.  There was no one else who could do it.  There was no way that Regina could re-cast it.  Henry and Emma were both here.  And, even if Henry had been there, she wouldn’t have taken his heart to cast the curse.  We all knew that.  Charming’s sacrifice would be what saved us all from the Wicked Witch, or so we thought.”

“Zelena?” Will asked trying to get clarification for her own edification.

“Yes, she was making our lives Hell in the Enchanted Forest.  Plus we wanted to get home to Emma and Henry.  So Regina got the stuff together to cast the curse.  We were all assembled in Regina’s throne room.  She had the cauldron full and was working the curse.  We were about to take Charming’s heart when Zelena showed up.  She dropped a potion into the cauldron.  It wasn’t until we got back and Emma showed up that we found that the potion was a memory loss spell.  We couldn’t remember anything until the curse was broken.”

“Who broke the curse? Was it Ma and Mom?  Or, wait, what?  The curse is broken,” Coraline stated and she was still trying to figure out why she’d never heard this part of the story.

“No, Regina and Henry broke it.  It broke, but the line didn’t change.  We can’t leave and keep our memories.  If we cross the line now, we revert back to our lives that we lived under the first curse.  Emma, Henry and anyone else that comes in from the outside are the only ones that can leave with their memories intact.”

“But, what about Gramps?” Coraline asked.

“Just before Regina threw your grandfather’s heart into the cauldron, I begged her to do something.  She wasn’t even sure that it would work.  I begged her to take my heart and tear it in two.  I wanted her to give Charming half my heart and I hoped that he would live with it.”

“It worked?”

“It did.  Charming and I share a heart.  The curse was cast and we all came back without our memories.  Everything worked out for us.  So, does that tell you what you need to know for the line as it pertains to curse and dealing with Rumple?” Snow asked her.

“No, but it gave me some information that I need for something else.  Ma, we need to go.  We need to find Mom.  I need to talk her about something important, now,” Coraline stated.

Emma looked at her and then at Snow.  She knew that Coraline had to talk to Regina about Neal and not Rumple.  She shook her head at Coraline and nodded towards the Bug that was on the street.  They started heading to the Bug.

“Wait,” Will shouted at them.

“What?”

“Regina’s not at the house.  She and Ruby were headed that way.  I couldn’t tell where they were going but they going quickly,” Will told them.

Coraline and Emma looked at each other.  Emma knew what was up the road that Regina had been heading up.  It only served to make Coraline and Emma move faster to the Bug.


	41. Chapter 41

Ruby and Regina were walking out of the hospital just as Emma and Coraline were pulling up to it.  Regina’s eyes went wide as she saw them.  Ruby just rubbed Regina’s hand and leaned over.  She whispered in Regina’s car and the queen seemed to calm slightly.  They could see the fear in Emma’s eyes as she ran up to them.  Coraline was fast on her heels.

“Are you alright?” Emma asked her.

“I am fine, Dear,” Regina replied.

“Then why are you at the hospital?” Coraline asked her.

“Her headache got worse.  I drove her down her to see what they could do for her.  Whale gave her an exam and some pills.  She’s going to be alright.  I was just about to take her home, when y’all pulled up,” Ruby stated only giving them half the truth.

Coraline and Emma both stared at Ruby and wondered why she was holding back the truth.  It wasn’t like Ruby to lie to them about anything, so it only made them more curious.  Emma cocked her head at Ruby and gave her a knowing glance.  Ruby just kept a straight face and her smile at Emma never once wavering.  Green eyes met the challenge in her hazel eyes, but neither of them said anything.  Coraline and Regina just watched the exchange waiting for Emma to call Ruby out on the lie.  It never happened.

“Do you want me to take you home?” Emma asked.

Regina knew then that she would ask what was really going on once they were behind closed doors.  She was giving Regina the privacy that she so desperately craved.  Regina just nodded at Emma, afraid to speak because she would blurt out the news.

“You drive her car back home, Emma.  I’ll take Coraline in the Bug.  We’ll do a run by the Abbey to see how things are going.  I am sure that Blue has something to update us on.  We can meet back at the mansion for dinner.  I pick something up from Granny’s to feed everyone,” Ruby said.

“Sounds good, Ruby.  Just make sure that it isn’t all burgers and fries.  It needs to be healthy and hearty.  A good salad would work,” Regina told her.

“Yes, majesty,” Ruby quipped taking the keys to the Bug from Emma and grabbing Coraline.

Emma waited until they were out of cur shot before she would say anything and even then she was going to wait until they were in the Mercedes.  She turned to look at Regina and she could see the worry on her face.  She noticed that the vein in her forehead was popped out.  She knew that it meant something very emotional was going on with Regina and she knew that it was important enough at the moment that Ruby had lied about it.

“I’ll tell when we get home,” Regina told her.

Emma nodded.  Her whole train of thought stopped.  Regina was going to tell her, but she wanted to wait until they were at home.  Emma could respect that.  She started the car and pulled out of the parking lot at the hospital.  She drove home slowly as to not raise Regina’s ire.

“We’re home,” Emma announced as she pulled into the drive.

“I know, Dear,” Regina replied and got out of the car and headed to the front door.

Once they were both inside.  Regina took Emma’s hand.  She pulled her up the stairs to their bedroom.   She flicked her hand towards the door and Emma heard it lock behind them.  She slowly followed her up the staircase, each step heavily measured like she was walking to her doom.  Regina could feel Emma’s anxiety building as they neared the bedroom door.

“Relax, Dear,” Regina told her.

Emma just nodded.  Her mouth was dry in anticipation.  She was scared and she couldn`t figure out why.  Then, thoughts of her childhood came rushing back.  The fear that Regina was turning her away after everything that they had been through, after knowing what they were going to go through, and that they were about to take on Rumple weighed on her.  She realized that she was afraid that Regina was about to turn her out and tell her that she no longer loved her.  Suddenly, Emma thought she was going to have a panic attack, right there in their bedroom.

“Sit down, Dear.”

“O...o....o-kay,” Emma stammered.

Regina waited until Emma was sealed on the bed.  She sat down next to her and took her hands in her own.  She wasn’t sure how she was going to tell Emma that she was pregnant, but she knew that she needed to do it.  It wasn’t fair to keep the news to herself.  It affected them all.

“I did go to the hospital, but it wasn’t because I had a headache,” Regina started.

“I know.  Ruby lied.  Why?”

“Because, I am not sure that I believe the test results,” Regina slated.

“You’re dying?” Emma asked, immediately going to the worst case scenario.

“No, Love.  I am not dying.  Far from it actually.  I am healthy, perfectly healthy.”

“Then, what is it?” Emma questioned getting antsier.

“I never told you this, because I didn’t think it would ever matter for me.  When I was younger and I was married to your Grandfather Leopold.  I was mad at him for marrying me and my mother for making me do it.  Will was with me already, but she was out on some errand with the King.  If she had been there, she’d have stopped me.   But being that as it was, I was left alone, except tor Snow and mother.  Mother had been pestering me about having a child with Leopold so it would cement our claim to his throne.  She had every intention once I had his child to deal with him and Snow.  I dealt with Mother though before anything like that could happen,” Regina explained.

“Have you ever told Snow this?” Emma asked her.

“No, why would I?”

“You were protecting her back then, even though you were still angry about Daniel,” Emma stated.

“That doesn’t matter now,” Regina stated, waving her hand and dismissing Emma’s thoughts about it.  “Mother came to see me.  She was harping on me about getting pregnant as soon as the King returned.  She was even going to give me a potion that would spike my libido.  She figured it would help me with my prowess in the bedroom and make it more likely that I would fall pregnant sooner rather than later.  I didn’t want to have Leopold’s children.  I didn’t want children at that point.  I was too insanely messed up by Mother to try to mother my own children.  I feared for their well-being.”

“So what did you do?” Emma asked, guessing what happened.

“I summoned mother to my potions room, just off my chambers, but hidden from Leopold and Snow.  Oh, don’t get me wrong.  Snow knew about Mother’s antics and her magical dealings.  She just didn’t know about mine.  Rumple was rather sneaky when it came to me because of his former affair with mother.  I didn’t know that is why he was always in the shadows with me, but I found out later.”

“What happened?”

“I found a spell in a book that Rumple had left me to study.  It made the drinker infertile.  I brewed it and poured it into one my personal chalices.  I waited for Mother to come to my rooms and start another tirade.  She never failed to disappoint in that manner.”

“Oh, gods,” Emma mumbled.

Regina let go of Emma’s hands.  She stood up and started pacing al the end of the bed.  She looked up into Emma’s brilliant emerald eyes trying to ground herself in the here and now.  She was fighting her mother’s words and actions, still after all these years.  It was easier to light the demons that she had created, but Regina feared that she’d never be totally free of them.  Emma was helping her light that battle, but it was still an almost daily battle in her head.

“The entire time that she was yelling at me about not doing my duty as Queen of the Summerlands.  I was slowly sipping the concoction in my chalice.  She thought it was wine.  I told her that I only wanted Daniel and his love.  That being Queen was her dream, not mine.  She touted me for my stupidity and foolishness.  She kept telling me that ‘Love was weakness.’ I finished the glass and then threw it at Mother,” Regina told her, still pacing.

“How did she take the news?” Emma asked her.

“She smelled the chalice and then threw it at the hearth.  She couldn’t believe that I would be that foolish.  She yelled at me that I was destroying my future by making myself barren.  For me though, it was the only way that I could take back some control over my life,” Regina replied.

“What are you trying to tell me, Regina?” Emma inquired.

“I am pregnant,” she blurted out.

“That’s wonderful,” Emma told her, tears coming to her eyes.

“Emma, I can’t have children though.  I made sure of that, years ago.  I hexed myself.”

“Regina, you of all people, should know that love is the strongest magic of all,” Emma said, standing from the bed and walking towards her.

Emma knelt down in front of Regina.  She wrapped her hands around her waist and placed her ear against her abdomen.  She knew that she wouldn’t hear or feel anything, but to know that there was life growing in Regina’s body, even after knowing everything that she’d been through, made Emma smile.

“But, Emma….”

“No, Regina, that is our baby, made from our love.  That is Coraline in there.  And, we are going to do everything in our powers to protect her and love her.  So much so, that it seems our hearts will burst.  We need to tell her!” Emma yelled happily, squeezing Regina harder around the middle.

“Do you think that we should?”

“You don’t?” Emma asked confused by Regina’s reluctance.

“I’m sorry, Emma.  I am happy about this, but I am also scared.  I cursed myself and now, you’ve found a way to break that curse, too.  I’ve always wanted to carry my own child, but I never thought that I would get chance.  I sure as Hell never thought that I would find love again.”

“I understand,” Emma said, letting her go and standing up.

Regina could see the disappointment on her face.  She didn’t want Emma to feel slighted but she needed to come to grips with the fact that her daughter, who was across town with her lycanthrope younger half-sister, was also growing inside her.  She wrapped her hands around her waist and held herself.  There was plenty that she could say, but she couldn’t make the words form.  She was completely speechless.  And, she knew now that Emma was the only one who could make her feel this way.

“Emma…”

“Yeah?” she asked barely above a whisper.

“I’m sorry.  I am not handling this well.  I am afraid for Coraline.  I know that she is in there, growing stronger and being all magical, but I am thinking about her future, too.  She is our daughter.  She is our everything just like Henry, but she is so much more…”

“Because she is our together?  Because we made her together?  Because she is our daughter?”

“Yes to all of that, but I don’t know why I feel this way.”

“Your hormones are starting to be affected by the pregnancy, Love.  There is nothing for you to be afraid of.  We will face it together.  We will defeat the Blackness together.  We will raise Coraline or Remy or whatever we decide to name her together.  We will get married soon.  We will be a family and you will finally get the magnificent happy ending that you have been fighting for, searching for, and dreaming of for so long.  We will have it together,” Emma said.

“But, we won’t have forever.  That isn’t guaranteed.  Our own daughter has even told us as much.  How can you be so happy about this?” Regina asked her.

“Because I’m a Charming remember?” Emma teased her.

She took Regina’s hands in her own.  She looked deep into her mahogany eyes.  She saw the fear and the worry beginning to abate.  She saw her own love reflected back at her.  She leaned over and kissed Regina hard.  She tried to make all of her fears go away with that kiss.  She needed Regina calm and in love.  She needed her to see that she was loved and has love surrounding her.

“I love you,” Regina replied holding on to Emma as hard as she could.

She couldn’t even be bothered with the fact that Emma was a Charming.  She was in love with her, body and soul.  There was nothing that she would allow to come between her and Emma except death, and even that wasn’t a given.  She burrowed further into the blonde’s warmth.

“I love you, too, Regina…so much.”

Emma gladly held her.  When she realized what Regina really needed was to be cuddled and loved, she reached down, slowly running her hands down her back and over her ass, until she found Regina’s knees.  She scooped her up and carried her to the bed, again, effortlessly.  She got Regina settled, took off her shoes, and then toed off her own boots before joining Regina on the bed.  She turned Regina on her side, facing the window and wrapped her body around her.  She spooned her, holding her head against her chest with her left arm and wrapped her right arm around her small waist, letting her right hand land on her stomach.  She absentmindedly rubbed Regina’s still not showing tummy and hummed. 

“Don’t ever let me go, Emma.  I won’t survive it.  I can’t lose you,” Regina said.

“I won’t, Regina.  I will never leave you willingly.  I love you, my Queen,” Emma replied.

Regina smiled at the strange term of endearment that Emma used.  When Emma said it, she felt like a queen and just a queen.  She didn’t feel like the Evil Queen.  She felt loved and royal.  She felt worthy of the love she had wished for so long.  She believed that she would have the family and the happy ending that she always wanted.  And, she knew that Emma was that for her.

 

Ruby walked with Coraline down the street.  They weren’t heading anywhere in particular, but Ruby could tell that Coraline wanted to talk to someone not family.  Ruby was family and blood, but she wasn’t at the same time for her.

“What is it, Jellybean?”

“You haven’t called me that in a very long time,” Coraline mused with a slight laugh.

“It fits you.”

“If you say so,” Coraline answered.

“Did you fight with Emma or something?  You seem off.  What’s wrong?” Ruby asked her.

“She didn’t like my idea to deal with everything,” Coraline said.

“Wanna share?”

“You’re not going to like it either,” Coraline stated.

“Why don’t you let me decide that for myself?” Ruby commanded in question.

“I know how we can deal with Rumple and still stop the Darkness.  But, there is more to it than that; I have to figure out how to save Neal.  I think I found a way, but I know that both Snow and Emma, Ma, will stop me.  Snow will tell me that while it is a grand gesture, I shouldn’t do it.  Emma will just flat out forbid it.  And, don’t even get me started on Mom.”

“They are your mothers.  They worry.  It’s their job.”

“Yeah, well…”

“Oh, please, don’t bring that up again, Coraline.  You need a new line.  You can’t keep punishing them for that.  You are grown up and being here I know that you have seen how they operate.  It is in their DNA to fight and defend the town, but it is more than that.  They do it to protect their family.  You were born into it, Kiddo.  And, you fight just like they do.”

“Yes, but…”

“You grow up and you want to free the land of the Darkness.  You grow up on stories of your mothers and your family, including Snow and me.  You have every instinct in your body to lead, protect and defend.  It is who you are.  It is what you are made of.  They get that, but unfortunately for you, you didn’t get to see all this growing up.  Hearing about it in stories and seeing it first-hand are two different things.  I’m sure that Regina and Emma would have loved to see you grown up into who you’ve become, but Fate didn’t allow that.  It did allow for me and Belle to be there and I am sure that I was a hard ass on you,” Ruby stated.

“You are,” Coraline replied.

“See.  I don’t know the first thing about taking care of a kid.  And, you were what, five at the time?  I am sure that Belle and I did our best by you, but you’re right.  It wasn’t enough.  It will never be enough and do you know why?” Ruby asked her.

Coraline shook her head “no.”  Ruby stopped walking.  She turned to face Coraline and for the first time realized how much she reminded her of a younger Regina.  She was as tall as Emma and she had Emma’s resolve to do anything you told her she couldn’t.  Ruby could see both her sister and her goddaughter in future charge, but she could also see herself and Belle’s influence.

“No, because we aren’t your moms.  I am your aunt through Regina.  I am Emma’s godmother.  You are my family and I will do anything and everything that I can to protect you and keep you happy.  That is my job and I will do it to the best of my ability.  We will fight.  I know that we will because we are both very strong willed people.  We can’t help it.  You’ve met your mother, right?  We come by that naturally.  Mine just comes from being a Wolf,” Ruby explained.

“It isn’t fair,” Coraline wined.

“Life isn’t fair, Jellybean.  Hell if it was, Neal wouldn’t be sick and you wouldn’t be looking for a cure with Belle behind closed doors.  Rumple wouldn’t be such an ass and we would all have our families until they are old and gray.  We can’t have that.  Life isn’t a fairy tale,” Ruby said.

“We are though,” Coraline countered.

“The stories that Emma grew up on are wrong.  Besides, Grimm’s versions are actually closer to what life was really like in the Enchanted Forest.  Disney sugar coated them so kids could swallow them.  And, it’s a pity, too, because that is the main version that most know here.  I doubt that they would be able to handle the truth or the kingdom if we took them there.”

“Ma did.”

“Your Ma is also magical and from the Enchanted Forest.  As much as she wants to say that she was born in Maine and raise here, she was born in the Forest on the same day that your Mom cast the First Dark Curse of Rumple’s.  But, had she not been put into that wardrobe, who knows where we would all be right now?  Fate brought us all here.  It brought us together and she fulfilled the prophecy.  She broke the first curse.  Regina broke the second and the third.  And, you, Jellybean, are going to help us stop the third.”

“What if we can’t?” Coraline asked.

“Then, we will do what we can to protect the next generations until you can Swan.”

“What did you call me?” Coraline questioned.

“Swan, why?”

“Mom calls Emma that when she’s mad at her.”

“I know.”

“But, why did you call me that?”

“Because you are the Swan Princess, are you not?”

“I am, but I am also a Mills.”

“In this world, yes, you are.  In the Forest, you are the daughter of the heir of the house of White and the witch Regina.  I doubt that Snow would let you use the Mills name.”

“It wasn’t up to Snow,” Coraline told her.

“What do you mean?”

“When Mom and Ma get married, Mom takes Swan as her last name.  She said it was to atone for all the mistakes and to prove to the Charmings that she loved Emma.  She refused to let them make her a White again or worse a Charming.”

Ruby just laughed.  She knew how Regina thought about the Charming couple and she could see her making the choice of Swan.  It fit Regina’s personality.  She was graceful like a swan.  She was fiercely protective of her brood and family.  And, she’d fight you with everything that she had if you came after her or her family.  Just like Emma, she was a Swan.

“It fits her,” Ruby mused.

“It does.”

“Have you told her this?”

“I think so.”

“How did she take it?”

“Better than the face that Emma wins and gets to name me Remy,” Coraline stated.

“She didn’t try for Snow or Eva or something like that?” Ruby asked.

“Snow tried to get her to, but Emma wasn’t having it.  She wasn’t going to name her daughter with Regina after anyone that had anything to do with their violent pasts.  So, Cora, Snow, and Eva were out.  Emma wanted something non-traditional and for once, Regina agreed with her.”

“So, Remy?”

“Yeah, Remy, but don’t ever tell Mom it is short for Remington.  She’ll blow a fuse or the town down.  Emma picked it because it is a blend of Regina and Emma.  She originally wanted to name me Remmaline or Remma, but she told me that they sounded weird.  Mom agreed and refused to let her.  Then one day according to Mom, Emma comes home from the field.  She hugs her close and leans down to her belly.  She starts talking to me and calling me Remy.  It just stuck.  I think the name actually grew on her and she started calling me that when Emma was away.  She didn’t want Emma to know, though.  She was hoping that they would come up with something else, but she liked it.  She said it was original,” Coraline told her.

“It is.  I like it.  I think it suits you, but then again, so does Coraline.  That doesn’t matter though, what matters is that you are okay and safe.  We will find a way to defeat this, Coraline.  It is what we do,” Ruby told her.

“But what if the only way to stop it is for me to die?” Coraline posed the question and waited.

Ruby ran her hand over her face.  She grabbed Coraline’s arm and started pulling her down the street.  She went passed Granny’s much to everyone inside’s dismay.  She continued pulling her down the street until they entered the Rabbit Hole.  She looked at the bartender and raised two fingers.  He nodded and she basically threw Coraline into a booth in the corner of the bar.  She sat down next to her so she couldn’t run from the coming conversation.  Before she could say anything the bartender put two shots and two beers down in front of her.

She pointed at the shot and picked one up.  She knocked it back and waited for Coraline to do the same.  When they had done that, she grabbed her beer and took a long pull.  She stared at the seat back before her for a minute or two, allowing the alcohol to burn her sudden rush of anger down.

“Why in the Hell would you say that?” Ruby finally asked her, not turning to face her.

“Because it is true,” Coraline replied.

“And, just how, pray tell, did you come up with this idea?”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” she said and then drank some of her beer.

“How does it?”

“You sound like Ma.”

“For all the gods….you told Emma this.  Are you mental?  You realize that she is going to tell Regina and then Regina is going to lock you in a tower or something.  They are not going to let you sacrifice yourself to save them,” Ruby told her.

“But it’s okay for them to do it for me?”

Ruby slammed her beer on the table.  She had a fucking point.  Damn it, she did, and Ruby couldn’t think of one good damn reason why Regina and Emma had the right to die in her stead.  It was a sobering thought.  Ruby raised her hand and signaled the bartender again.  Two more shots appeared shortly thereafter.  She took hers and drowned it.  She turned to look at Coraline and saw a familiar fire in her eyes.  Then she grabbed what would have been Coraline’s shot and downed it.  She hadn’t been prepared to have an adult conversation with Coraline.  This was not how their afternoon was supposed to have shaped into.

“It isn’t okay for anyone to do it,” Ruby said quietly.  “You know if I could take that burden from your mothers I would, but I can’t.  It isn’t in our destinies.  I would gladly take their place if it meant that you had them both, but I also know that they wouldn’t allow it.  And, for some reason if they did, they would avenge my death and probably die doing it.  I am not saying that I agree with their methods or the outcome, but I can’t fault them for it either.”

“I know,” Coraline replied resolutely.

“Then why are you so upset about this?” Ruby asked her.

“I…why shouldn’t I be?” Coraline questioned.

Blue and Tink were walking around the Abbey.  They were surveying the area trying to figure out what Rumple had done.  There didn’t seem to be anything missing or out of the ordinary and that frightened them both.  Rumple was known for his subtle spells and traps. 

“Do you honestly think that he left something for us?” Tink asked Blue.

“I do.  He is known for his revenge. When he realized that he was looking in the wrong place, he would have left something for us as punishment for moving the potions and other items.  He isn’t known to let things go.  You should know this by now.  Plus, I am sure that he is upset that Belle hasn’t come back to him like her thought she would,” Blue replied.

“What should we be looking for?”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know.  We should scan the cellar for anything magical.  I know that it might hit on the remnants of what we stored there, but we need to make sure that he didn’t leave us any deadly surprises.”

“Should we call Emma and Regina?”

“Not yet.  I am sure that they have their own issues to deal with.  We’ll call them in the morning.  We can handle anything until then.  Come on.  We need to get back and let the rest of the fairies come back out here.  I am sure that they are getting restless staying at the high school.”

“They are, Blue, but they understand.  And, those that don’t won’t go against Rumple without reason.  They aren’t stupid.  They want to help the Charmings just like we all do, but they are afraid of Rumple, too.  We all want this to end.”

“And, how should it end?”

“I don’t know, Blue.  I don’t think that killing anyone is the answer, but I don’t know what else to do.  It seems that the Dark One is threatening us all with his magic.  There is no way to stop him but with his death and we all know that whoever kills him takes the Dark One’s Curse.  Isn’t there some way that we can destroy the Dark One’s Curse?  Can’t we do something with our pixie dust?” Tink asked her.

“No, we can’t.  There is no defeating the Dark One’s Curse.  There is only one solution and usually when someone can get close enough to do it, the Dark One is so far gone in their darkness that they can’t see the light to come back into,” Blue answered.

“True Love?”

“It is the strongest and oldest magic in any realm, Tink.  It can move mountains if needed.  But, alas, the darkness that is mixed in the Dark One’s curse is strong and powerful.  It feeds on the host’s fears, anger and it destroys the natural filter for good.  It kills their impulse control.”

“So if they think dark thoughts, they are more likely to do it?” Tink asked trying to making sure of what Blue was telling her.

“Yes,” Blue answered, wondering why Tink was asking questions that she should have already known the answers to and then Blue widen her eyes in horror. “Rumple?”

“No, no, Blue.  Nothing like that.  I’ve just been thinking about what Coraline wants to do.”

“And what is that?”

“She is going to try and kill the Dark One herself.”

“How do you now this?” Blue inquired as her body bristled at the thought of a Charming becoming the Dark One.

“Because she believes that she can fight it.  I can see it in her eyes.  I’ve seen it in Emma and Regina’s, too.  They want to be able to save everyone and they hope that their loves will be able to save them.  Once Emma finds out or Regina for that matter, they’ll stop her.  But, I know that she thinks about it.  I can feel it.  It reminds me of the night Regina feel from the balcony.”

“That was the night I banished you?” Blue asked.

“No, that was several days later.  But, it is the same.  I can feel the pain in her heart and it is calling out to me to make it stop.  I know that I can’t and that hurts me.  I stopped Regina from dying that night, but part of me thinks that I won’t be able to stop Coraline.  She is too strong willed like Emma and too determined like Regina.  I don’t think that there is a fairy alive that could stop her,” Tink replied.

“That might be true.  We’ll watch her like we have always watched the royals and we will do what we can.  I will not let her die without a fight first.  I will not let them down,” Blue told her.

“I know, Blue.  No one wants to, but has anyone considered that this might be a losing a battle?  You’ve seen her scars.  Even the resurrection blanket that she has didn’t healed them, Blue.  What if we aren’t meant to survive this coming threat, but she as the Swan Princess is.  What if it is her destiny to unite the kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest under one banner and lead to be a prosperous land?  What if she is meant to be who she is because of who she is?”

“Then, we can only hope that we are doing our best to prepare her then,” Blue stated.

“It sucks.”

“It does, but we don’t tempt fate.  We don’t play with destinies, Tink.  We can only hope that we are leading our charges into theirs and that they will be happy with what they have.  We can only guide them and give gentle pushes.  We cannot force them into anything.  Even with most magic, free will controls the outcomes.”

“I know that.  That is why Regina never went into that tavern and found Robin.  She made the choice to be alone and we all see how well that turned out.  Can’t we just make sure that Coraline doesn’t do something as equally stupid?” Tink inquired.

“I think we already have.  We have been working with her on her magic. We are teaching her things that we couldn’t in her past because we weren’t there.  She is growing up quickly here.  She has realized that she doesn’t have the choice.  She could pretend and hide behind Belle and Ruby in her time, but here she has no one but herself.  She is learning to trust herself and become the woman she is meant to be.”

“And, who is that?” Tink asked her.

“She is the Swan Princess.  She has a huge heart and large loyalty to her family, blood and not.  She will do anything she has to do in order to protect it.  She has the same savior complex that Snow has, that Emma has, and that Charming has.  She will do what she has to in order to protect the realm and her family without regard to her own life.  Regina would lay waste to thousands for hurting her and she wouldn’t think twice about it. I fear that even with her moral high ground that she could slip easily into a bloodthirsty monster.  Somehow we can’t let that happen.”

“Regina isn’t bloodthirsty anymore, Blue,” Tink countered.

“I know that, but she has the tendency to overreact.”

“Don’t we all,” Tink replied with a pointed look.

“I suppose so,” Blue stated.

“We should get back.”

“Come on.  They’re waiting.  We’ll talk to Coraline tomorrow.  We’ll see how she is thinking.”

“Do you think that she will tell us?” Tink asked her.

“I doubt she’ll tell me.  You on the other hand?  She might tell you anything and everything.  I think it is because she is more like Regina than we think.  She is a perfect blend of them, but she does tend to react more like Regina than Emma.  She did come to you for that blasted dragon, too.  I think she is closer to you than she would ever be to me, Tink.  She trusts you.”

“Because I am real?”

“Possibly.  Who knows?  We’ll talk to her and see where her mind is…tomorrow.  Tonight, we will move back into our home and prepare for whatever is to come.”

“You mean the fight against Rumple?” Tink replied in question.

“If it comes to that,” Blue answered as they made their way further around the Abbey grounds.

“What is that?” Tink asked pointing to the sky.

“I don’t know, but we should look into it.”

“I guess we aren’t waiting to call Emma and Regina, are we?”

“No, we’ll wait until we know what it is.  Call Snow and tell her to be ready.  I’ll call Will.  She’ll know what to do and she’ll be able to handle whatever it is.  There is no need to bother Regina and Emma every time.  They need to be able have their own life.  There are more than enough heroes in this town.  Someone else can stand up and fight.”

“But, what if we need magic?” Tink questioned

“Are we incapable of handling it?” Blue replied.

“We don’t know what it is yet.  There is no way that we can know what will need until we find out what it is, Blue.  Why do you think that you can just make decisions without knowing everything?  This is why Regina doesn’t trust you.  And, you say she is head strong,” Tink stated and walked away frustrated.

She knew that Blue meant well, but she was still Blue.  She didn’t think beyond what she already knew.  She didn’t allow for others to sway her opinion unless they were of the Charming clan.  Coraline was an anomaly for her and Tink didn’t know if she trusted Blue with her.  She was more like Regina like Blue said and she wondered if that skewed Blue’s thinking of her. 

She moved across the small valley and into a thicket of trees.  She was already reaching into her pocket and looking for her cell phone.  She was glad for the invention in this world.  She hated shrinking herself down and flying hoping that she would make it to whoever she was needed fast enough.  At least with calling Emma and Regina, they could magic themselves to her.

She leaned through the brush.  She heard the deep breath of a creature not of this world.  She immediately dialed Emma, but she didn’t answer.  She tried Regina, who also didn’t answer.  Finally she landed on Coraline.  She knew that young woman fought a magical beast before and in front of her, but she wondered if she could do it again.  She called her without thinking of calling Wilhelmina first.  When she heard Coraline answer the phone, she said one word.

“Dragon.”


	42. Chapter 42

She was crouched behind some bushes and leaning against a fallen log.  Tink took in her surroundings.  She couldn’t believe that there was a dragon in Storybrooke, but then again she could.  She took in a deep breath and grabbed her cell phone.  She knew that she was going to need help and she was going to need it fast.

She looked around the clearing that the dragon was in.  She was studying it.  This wasn’t Maleficent.  No, this was a magical dragon similar to the one that she had conjured for Coraline to light.  It was bigger and worse looking though.  There was an element to it that she knew was pure magic.  This wasn’t a normal born dragon.  This one was conjured.

She was glad that they were on the edge of town.  But, she knew that it had to be dealt with quickly.  She moved from her position, making sure that she had at good grip on her cell phone, and found another spot to watch the dragon.  She found another grouping of trees and hunkered down.  She dialed Emma’s number.  The phone rang and rang.  She huffed.

“Damn it, Emma.  Answer your phone.  Now is not the time to be slacking off,” Tink said quietly.

Emma still didn’t answer.  So, Tink thought of Regina.  She dialed her next.  To her utter dismay, Regina didn’t answer either.  She huffed again.

“Any other time, you would both be calling me.  Come on.  Answer your phones,” Tink mused aloud, still remaining quiet enough that the dragon couldn’t hear her.

She looked to the sky and wondered who to call next.  She ran through names before she landed on Coraline.  She knew that she could handle the dragon and hopefully find her mothers at the same time.  She looked up at the sky, praying to whatever would listen to her, that Coraline would answer her phone.

“Please...please…please...” was all Coraline heard as she answered her phone.

“Hello?”

“Thank the gods, Coraline.  Do you know where your mothers are?  I need them,” Tink told her.

“At home, I think.  Why?  What’s going on?” Coraline asked her.

Then she heard the distinct roar over the phone.  She looked at Ruby und then at the woods.  She couldn’t hear the roar where they were at Granny’s.  Ruby was looking at her quizzically.

“Where are you?” Coraline questioned before Tink could answer.

“The woods,” Tink replied.

“Where?  I need more specifics.  Where are you?”

“Remember that clearing near the river?”

“Yeah,” Coraline answered.

“Just off it, and I’m not alone.”

“I heard.  I’ll be there soon.  Don’t move,” Coraline commanded her before turning to Ruby.  “Find Mom and Ma.  There is a dragon in the woods.  I’m going out there to see what I can do.”

“Coraline?”

“Don’t argue with me, Red.  I can handle this.  Get them.  Quickly.  And, find Will, too,” Coraline demanded before she poofed away.

Ruby shook her head und huffed.  She lifted her nose and caught Regina’s scent.  She was always easier to truck that Emma because her scent didn’t change...ever.  It was always spicy and full of the scent of apples.  She ran out the door of Granny’s and was in Wolf form before she was on the pavement.  She ran as fast as she could to the mansion at 108 Mifflin Street and she didn’t stop until she was the front door.

Red hit the door with the full force of her body.  She didn’t care about pleasantries.  There was a fucking dragon in the woods that could be headed to town at any time.  It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Coraline to stop it.  It was that she didn’t trust her to not get hurt while doing it.

She ran up the stairs to Regina’s room.  She pawed at the door.  She could smell both of them behind it, and maybe something more.  There was no answer.  She pawed at the door again.  She waited again to see if they would answer it.  Emma finally did, but she seemed tired.

She opened the door and looked down at the giant dark brown wolf.  Her eyes went wide and she woke up, a little more sober than she was groggy before.  Her green eyes met Red’s yellow.

“What is it, Red?” she asked.

The Wolf whimpered and turned down the hall.  Her snout was pointing at Coraline’s room.  Emma caught the direction and the slight gesture.

“Coraline is in trouble?”

The Wolf sat down and whimpered again.  Emma took it as an affirmative answer.  She rushed back into the room.  Within three seconds, she and Regina were on the landing with Red.

“Red, where is my daughter?” Regina demanded.

Red just whimpered.  She lightly nipped at Emma, trying to get her to follow her down the stairs.  Emma nodded and followed her down the stairs.  Regina was hot on their heels, still not getting an answer.  It wasn’t until Emma grabbed her gun, badge, and keys, then Regina stopped them.

“RED!  Where is Coraline?  What is going on?  Phase back, dammit, and tell me where she is!”

Red spun on her back legs and faced Regina.  She stood up on back legs and started to shift back.  It was painful and slow, but she knew that Regina was not going to let them leave the house until she had some sort of answer.  She felt her body knitting itself hack into shape.  Once she was human, and completely naked, she stood there in front of her older half-sister, daring her to say something about her state of dress with her hazel eyes.

“Well?” Regina asked.

“She got a call from Tink.”

“And?” Emma asked this time.

“It seems that there is a dragon in the woods near the Abbey.  It is far enough out of town, but Tink believes it is magical in nature and not a natural hatched dragon.  She tried to call you both.”

They both looked at their phones.  There were several missed calls from the non-conforming fairy.  Emma noticed that they were back to back as well.

“We need to go,” Emma said, trying her damnedest to not look at Ruby’s form.

“Emma, go with Red.  I’ll find Will.  And, for the love of all that is holy, someone call the blasted fairy and tell her we are the way.  Find Blue, too,” Regina told them before pooling away.

Ruby looked all Emma and then the Bug.  She shook her head and begun to change buck into a Wolf.  They both knew it would be faster in the long run because Red could take them straight to the spot where the dragon was.  The Bug couldn’t go that deep into the forest.

When Red was dune shifting, she nosed Emma’s hand.  Emma climbed on the back of her and held on.  Red took off in a flash, nose in the air sniffing for the magic she knew wasn’t Emma’s, Regina’s, the fairies’, or Coraline’s.

As they were running through town towards the woods, Emma leaned forward and stated into Red’s ear, “If we keep this up, I am going to get a harness to ride you.”

Red made some noise that Emma assumed that she laughing as the Wolf.  What Red didn’t know was that Emma was serious.  If she was going to keep riding her to save the day, she was going to make a saddle or harness to keep herself on her.

As they neared the woods just out the Abbey and on the outskirts of town, Emma could feel the change in the magic in the air.  She could almost taste it.  Then she heard the mighty roar of the dragon.  She still didn’t see it, and she wasn’t sure that she wanted to see it, either.  Fighting Maleficent in dragon form had been enough for her to fulfill her dragon fighting quotient for life.  She really didn’t want to be out there, but she wasn’t going to let Coraline fight it alone.

She looked around the woods.  She couldn’t see Tink or Coraline.  She drew her gun, hoping that it would make some sort of difference, but remembered how much good it did her against the ogre in the Enchanted Forest.  When she still could see Tink or Coraline, she nodded at Red.  Red took off towards the left of where they were at sprint.  She was glad that even in Wolf-form she and Emma could communicate with just gestures und understand catch other.

She crouched down as she heard movement just beyond where she was.  She tried to slow her breathing so she would give herself or her location away.  She felt heat from a fiery breath pass by her but saw no fire.  She breathed out and started to crawl to a new location.  She hunkered down there and over looked the field before her.

She still didn’t see any sign of Coraline or Tink, but she saw the dragon.  It was magnificent.  Well, it would have been if wasn’t trying to destroy everything.   As she was trying to study it, she noticed a glittery figure to the west of it.  She squinted her eyes in order to get a better look at the figure and then she felt her anger rising.  She about stood up and took a shot at him.

“That mother fucking imp conjured this shit!” she hissed quietly.

It was just about then that Regina and Will appeared beside her in a cloud of purple smoke.  Emma fell back into the tree she was hiding behind as she silently with her eyes chided them for scaring her and making such an entrance.  Will just smiled at her as she handed her a sword and looked passed her into the field.  Regina shrugged and the leaned into kiss her as Emma took the sword that Will offered.

Emma eyed the sword in her hand.  She recognized it as the one that Coraline had shown them in the kitchen weeks ago.  It seemed a little heavier, but it was sturdy.  She looked at Regina and wondered if she had conjured it for her already.

“It was going to be gift for your birthday, but I figured you could use it now,” Regina told her.

Emma gave her a smile.  She knew that Regna didn’t want to go back to the Enchanted Forest, but with everything that Coraline had told them, she was preparing.  This was just another step for her to protect her family.  It also meant that Regina was preparing for a war she wasn’t sure about.  Emma knew that she would fight on Snow and Charming’s side this time because it would be for her family and the good of the kingdom.  Emma was concerned because she didn’t know how Regina was going to react to the possible constant fighting that they might encounter.

“Did you conjure this for me?” Emma asked her, rephrasing her question.

“No, she didn’t.  I made it.  She commissioned it.  I did however borrow Coraline’s to make sure that I got the design right for you.”

“‘That’s why it is so heavy,” Emma mused as they continued to move around in the woods.

“It isn’t heavy, Dear.  You just aren’t used to carrying such hardware in a situation such as this.  I will have Coraline sit with me and I will put enchantments on it soon.  But, for now, you will have to wield it as is.  I am sure that you can remember how to do that.  Right?” Regina teased her as they found a new place to stop and check out the situation at hand.

“I can,” Emma replied with as much bravado as she could.

Will and Regina giggled softly as Emma’s response.  They knew that she could handle herself.  She’d proven herself to Regina time and time again.  Will knew that she could handle herself in a fist fight.  She’d never personally seen her in a sword fight or a gun fight, but she knew that Emma could hold her own .  She just hoped that this moment of levity didn’t come back to bite them in the ass because Emma decided that she had something to prove against the blasted dragon before them.

They sat down in the small clearing and looked out across the field.  They were still trying to see if Red had found Tink and/or Coraline yet.  They got their answer in a way they didn’t want.  Regina sucked in a breath as she saw Coraline come out of a hiding spot and into the clearing with the dragon.  Will reached up and covered Emma’s mouth before she could scream out at her.  She spent the rest of the time holding her back as all of three watched on in horror.

“Will?” Regina asked.

“I see it.  I’ll go, but you both stay here.  Wait for Tink and Red.  Whatever you do, do not come out there to help me.  Do you understand?” Will asked them.

Regina shook her head “yes.” Emma was still fighting her.  Her eyes were wide in fear for her daughter in the clearing before them.  Before Emma could bite her and go out there to help Coraline.  Will threw her back into some bushes.  Regina’s hands were alight and she threw the fire bulls out into the clearing to distract the dragon and allow Will to rush in unseen.

Emma just sat there, held by a spell from Regina, as Will began to hulk-out again.  Regina was too busy watching Will and Coraline to see that Emma had moved up next to her, sword at the ready.  They were both waiting to charge, promises be damned.  They weren’t going to let anyone die there today.

“What are we going to do?  Coraline can’t take that thing on alone.  Will is only going to get her killed by being out there.  Can you poof her away without being there?” Emma asked.

“No, I would have to poof to her to get her out.”

“We can’t let them do this.  There has to be something that we can do.  I am not just going to sit and watch my best friend and my daughter die,” Emma hissed.

“You will sit here until I figure something out.  And, you don’t need to worry about Will.  She is immortal, remember?  She will get Coraline out of there the first chance she gets.  She isn’t going to let anything happen to her.  She loves her as much as we do, Emma.  I need you to be calm in this.  You need to use your head and remain calm.  Rushing in there will call more damage than planning it out will,” Regina told her as she stood beside a large tree just outside the clearing, studying her daughter’s and Will’s movements.

Across the clearing, Will wasn’t doing much better from her position.  She saw Coraline running back and forth to keep the dragon focused on her.  She knew that Coraline was probably as skilled as Snow, deadly as Red, smart as Belle, and as magical as Regina, but it was her stubbornness like Emma’s that scared her the most. 

She raised her sword and charged into the fray.  She wasn’t going to Coraline fight this dragon, magical or not, alone. She ran straight for the dragon.

It must have seen her coming.  It turned from Coraline and faced the oncoming threat from Will.  Will stopped running.  She pushed her left foot out in front of her and took a readied stance.  She was bracing for impact and the inevitable force that was about to hit from the dragon.  She felt the heat coming for the fiery breath, but she wasn’t burned.  She stood there just waiting for the perfect time to strike.

Coraline must have seen her.  She could see the anger in her eyes and she was shooting anger back at her.  Then she felt the blast as Coraline raised her hand up towards the dragon.  Will suddenly felt herself being pushed away from the dragon.  When she stood up again to face the dragon, she saw Coraline with a dagger in her hand.

Will’s eyes went wide as she watched the dagger grow in her hand into a magnificent blade.  She watched as Coraline spun it around as if she was testing its weight before she struck.  In her other hand, she saw a growing fire ball.  When she was ready, Coraline unleashed the fire ball before she charged the dragon head on.

The fire ball hit the dragon but did no damage.  It didn’t dissuade Coraline from her mission.  If anything it spurned her on.  She stared down the beast like it was the manifestation of everything that took away her family.  She saw the beast as the beginning of her family’s end and she was not going to let that happen while she was capable of stopping it.  She raised the now elongated sword in her right hand and struck at the beast.

It howled in pain and she heard another howl from the woods.  It distracted her and she cursed at herself for allowing it to happen.  But, she had turned just in time to see Tink, hands filled with magic and Red come tearing through the tree line.  It was enough time for the dragon to gain its wits and smack her with an arm to the ground.

She fell hard and the breath was knocked out of her.  A single, blue-green, scaled hand came down on top of her and held her to the ground.  She felt around beside her until she had the sword in her hand again.  She let it shrink back down to dagger size, knowing that in this tight spot she would need the blade to react to her wants and not the size that the sword offered.

Tink and Red were racing towards the dragon.  Will had joined the fray, as did Emma and Regina.  But they were all stopped before they got close. It was like there was a barrier keeping them from the dragon and from Coraline. It was then that Emma remembered seeing the Imp in the forest. 

She turned to Red, who for some reason seemed to know when to defer to Emma for command.  Red saw the look on her face and knew that it was murderous.  Will watched the interaction but she didn’t understand.  Red trotted to Emma, who clambered onto her back.  They ran for the wood line.  Emma pointing her sword as they charged the trees.  Regina and Will just watched in awe, unsure of what to do. 

Tink came over to where they were and stopped before Regina.  There was a wildness in the Queen’s dark eyes as she watched her daughter laying on the ground at the dragon’s mercy.  She reached out to touch Regina before Regina pulled her eyes from the scene before her to look into Tink’s bewildered and magical blue eyes.

“Can we combine our magics?” Tink asked her.

“I don’t know what good that will do against this beast.”

“We won’t know until we try,” Tink told her.

“Come on, sprite.  Let’s see what you’re made of.  This might hurt, well, sting a little,” Regina informed her as she turned back to face the dragon.

Tink came up behind her.  Her slight height advantage gave her an easy place to put her head: Regina’s shoulder.  As she melded her body as close to Regina’s as possible, she loosed her magic and allowed it to flow into the former Evil Queen, in hopes that their combined powers would affect the dragon in some capacity.  They didn’t know if fairy magic and her magic could even combine, but at the moment they didn’t care.  They needed to destroy the beast before it destroyed Coraline and possibly the lot of them.

Regina dug deep into her arsenal of magic.  She went passed memories of pain and suffering, back all the way to Rumple’s teaching, until she found the deadly spells and incantations that she wanted…that she needed in order to protect her daughter from this magical behemoth.  She wasn’t proud of what she knew, but she knew that knowledge was power.  And, in this instance, it would mean life for her family as the fantastic beast’s death.  She pulled every bit of emotion that she had.  She called upon her anger and her love to full this flow of energy that she was about to release upon the enchanted creature.

Tink could feel the darkness filling Regina’s being.  She could only hope that her presence and her mystical fairy charm would keep Regina grounded enough, long enough, for Emma to bring her back from the brink of darkness and the madness of power.  She wasn’t going to stop Regina.  She was going to feed into astonishing power that Regina could possess and make it stronger.  There was no time to wait for a real plan.  Coraline was in trouble and she needed their help.  She was fairy and the powers that she was given, she was to protect her, as her charge, from any misgivings that weren’t seen as part of her destiny.  To die in a field surrounded by forest on the outskirts of Storybrooke was not Coraline’s fate.  It might be Tink’s, but she wasn’t going to let Coraline share it.  At least not while she could anything about it. 

She opened herself up more to allow Regina to dig deeper into her special powers.  Tink could feel their magics merging and it was intoxicating.  She now began to fear not for Regina, but for herself.  She knew that Blue would probably take her wings for this action, but at the moment she didn’t care.  She was doing her job.  She was saving a life, at the risk of going dark, but still, she was upholding her duties as a fairy.

“Stop thinking!!!” Regina hissed at her.

“Sorry,” Tink replied quietly in her ear.

“It’s distracting and I need to focus,” Regina said.

“Sorry,” Tink said again and let her mind go blank.

Regina felt the change in the fairy.  She began to pull from the fairy’s power again.  Her eyes if she could see them were turning a brilliant shade of lavender.  The powers were mixing and her magic was becoming awe-inspiring.  She could feel it thrumming through her veins, begging to be unleashed and wielded.  It was the closest thing to the ecstasy she felt when making love to Emma and it felt damn good.  She released a moan as she collected herself more.

She closed her eyes.  She let her mind search out for Emma and Red.  She needed to know where they were and that they were safe before she unleashed her own magical Hell upon the monster before her.  Once she could visualize where her lover and sister were, she opened her eyes.  They were now a mixture of lavender, red and yellow.  The fairies magic had indeed mixed with her two sides of love and anger. 

Will could help but stare at her mistress.  She was a sight to behold.  She could feel the pull towards her and she went with it, knowing that when Regina let loose her magic that she didn’t want to be in front of it.  She tucked herself behind Regina’s wrath and waited for the opportunity to rush in and get Coraline away from the dragon.  But the intoxication of the darkness that Regina was tapping into was unmistakable.  Will had felt it before, but it was nowhere like this.  Regina hadn’t learned to control it like this before.

This was different.  This was dark, but it was more.  Will could feel the pull of Regina’s love mixed in with it.  Thus making the effect more potent and palpable.  The sense of urgency wasn’t overpowered by the seducing pull of the enchantment that Regina was working.  It covered the feelings of doom, despair, and gloom that had settled in the clearing.  

There was a light in the darkness that Will couldn’t explain, until she’d met Emma.  Emma was Regina’s light and she would never let her be alone.  Even yards away, Emma’s brightness could be felt in Regina’s overwhelming darkness.  A silent beckon that kept her focused as the all-consuming madness swirled around her.  Emma was her other half.  Anyone with any magical knowledge could attest to that, but Will could see it.

She saw it in how the moved, how they silently communicated, and how they defined themselves around each other.  They didn’t deny the pull.  Hell, they embraced it with open arms and enjoyed the euphoria that it gave them.  This was the ultimate emotion that Regina was calling on now in the moment of need.  This was the overwhelming desire that flowed in ribbons of color throughout the clearing.  This…this was the magical embodiment of their love and it was the most beautiful thing that Will had ever seen.

As the intensity grew around them, Will looked out into the woods and saw Emma and Red grappling with someone.  She leaned forward to Regina.  She knew what she was about to do was going to break Regina’s concentration but it needed to be done.  She had to tell her what she had seen and what she was going to do about it.

“My Queen, do not lose heart.  Your Swan had found the culprit and is fighting him. However, I will not let her take his death blow.  Keep your mind focused on your daughter and I will give you back your wife.  I swear this Regina.  Stay with Coraline,” she told her as she slowly backed away from the magically infused women.

Her light blue eyes sought out Coraline’s brown in the madness.  It seemed like minutes had passed but it was only mere seconds.  There was too much going on for them to all see everything.  Each of them was focused on a task at hand and that was all that mattered to them in that moment.  Will’s commitment to Regina pulled her in several directions, but when she saw Red and Emma tumbling between the trees, she knew what she needed to do.

Coraline turned in time to see Wilhelmina’s eyes.  She saw her own loved reflect and then a slight jerk towards the forest.  Coraline couldn’t see the forest or what was in it, but she knew just by Will’s stance that it was some sort of threat.  She turned again back to where Will had been just seconds before and saw only her mother and Tink in some sort of magical embrace.  It was an awesome sight to see and it brought her back to when she was five years old.  She saw the purple in her eyes and ignored everything else.  It didn’t matter.  She wasn’t going to let her mother sacrifice herself to save her.

She didn’t care that this creature had her pinned to the ground.  She was a mother fucking Charming.  She didn’t give up.  She was a bloody Swan.  She was a survivor.  She was a powerful Mills, full of magic and sass.  She was not going to let some conjured dragon best her.  This was not how Princess Remy Aurora Swan, the Swan Princess, Princess Royal and Crowned Princess of the Winterlands was going to die.  No, she had a kingdom to save.

The anger and the might built up in the young Swan.  She pushed herself up through the claws of the dragon, digging her heels into the earth for leverage and traction.  Once her shoulders cleared the creatures talons, she raised her dagger in the willing it to grow and thrust it into the appendage that was currently pinning her to ground. 

The dragon pulled back in pain and Coraline rushed to her feet, stepping back gingerly from the beast.  It shrieked out as it moved away from her.  She didn’t know how but she managed to pull the sword out of its hand as she’d pulled away.  She looked at the blue-green blood that encompassed her sword and then back at the dragon.  She knew that she’d pissed it off now. 

In her left hand, she conjured another fire ball and lobbed it at the beast.  It shrunk back from her as she continued to lob fireballs at it.  When she was finally aware of the fact that her mother was completely surrounded by magics and mana, she force-pushed her and Tink back towards the tree line.  This was her fight.

She could hear Regina screaming at her, but the blood pounding in her ears drowned out every sound but those of the dragon.  She felt the bloodlust for the creature overtake her and she let it.  This was her dragon to slay and she would slay it before them all. 

 

Emma and Red snuck up on the Imp.  He was too focused on the dragon to realize that they were coming for him. It would be his fatal mistake if Emma had anything to do with it.  She couldn’t believe that the imp actually had the audacity to do something this ridiculous without thinking that he would face massively severe consequences for it.

Red dropped her off on one side of him as she paced around to the other.  She was waiting for Emma’s sign before she attacked.  Both of them thinking the same thing.  Who is going to take the death blow?  They knew the risks and they knew what had to be done.  Neither of them were willing to admit that they were more than a little scared by this.

The daunting task hadn’t been assigned yet.  They had all debated it until they were blue in the face, together and behind closed doors.  And, they were still no closer to an answer or a solution on how to deal with the infamous Rumpelstiltskin.  Now, Red and Emma didn’t care.  He had to die.  He had to pay for the harm that he had caused or would cause and it had to be now.  There was no time to wait.  They were both willing to make the sacrifice.  Coraline’s well-being, her life, depended on this decision.

Green eyes met yellow and it was decided.  They would fight. Whoever had the clearest shot, the best chance to kill him, took it.  There would be no questions.  There would be no guilt over it.  It would be done and they would find a way to break the Dark One’s curse later.  They would have the time once Rumple was dead. 

In the back of her mind, Emma prepared for the onslaught of darkness that she was about to receive.  Silently plotting to take the strike before Ruby…Red, she corrected herself…could.  It might destroy Regina at first, but she knew that she had Will and a baby Remy to deal with.  Emma would be fine.  They would find a way to bring her back.  If all else failed, Emma would take her own life before she did anything to hurt the people of the town, her family, or heaven forbid, her children. 

The worry about the action she was about to take didn’t matter.  He had sealed his own fate when he unleashed the ogre on the town.  Sure Will defeated it in an epic manner, but that didn’t counteract the fact that it had come to begin with.  Rumple simply needed to pay for all of his crimes.  He couldn’t repent for them because he didn’t believe that he had done anything wrong with his selfish, backhanded deals and propositions.  As long as he had gotten what he wanted, nothing else mattered.  Now, it would.  And, he was about to pay dearly for it.

Red sniffed the air.  She snorted out the foul smell that Imp gave off while he was wielding magic.  She’d smelled wafting off of Belle in years past and hoped that the man hadn’t done anything to his wife.  His torment of his own wife would be his undoing in Red’s eyes.  No one hurt Belle and got away with it.  Those that did usually just got a lovely present on their doorstep come Wolf’s Time, but Rumple had gone further.  He’d hurt Belle’s family, and that simply wouldn’t do.  He’d personally gone after Coraline, and while she wasn’t technically Belle’s sister, Belle didn’t care.  If Rumple had been a Wolf, Red would have already challenged him. 

She paced back and forth, waiting for a mistake.  She would aim straight for his throat.  She would tear it open and let the blood fly.  She accepted the darkness within, like Regina had.  And, like her older, half-sister, Red had learned to use it for her own benefit and the benefit of others.  She embraced the darkness of her Wolf.  She became one with it.  Today she hunted and Rumple was her prey.

Will came running up to them as fast as her legs would carry her.  She was screaming at them the entire time, begging them to wait until later to take his head.  It was enough to distract Rumple.  He lost his concentration as he saw Regina’s Vulcannonian Knight charging at him full speed.  He stepped back and tripped over Red’s body, hitting the unforgiving earth behind him.

Emma took that chance to leap over at the man on the ground.  Her body hit an invisible force and floated just over, sword poised to descend straight into his black heart.  She turned her head and saw as Will came in towards them both, eyes wide in shock at what she was seeing.  It didn’t stop her though.  She kept coming. 

When she reached Emma, she dragged her backwards by her ankle until Emma was standing beside her.  The dastardly man before them had the gall to  actually smirk.  Red charged him.  She missed his throat but caught part of his shoulder with the claws in her paws.  She turned as soon as she landed, ready for another attack. 

All three of them were ready, circling him, just waiting for the opening.  His vicious smile and creepy, childlike laugh filled their ears, but they didn’t stop.  They knew the longer that they held him at bay, the more time that Regina, Tink and Coraline could deal with the dragon.  It wasn’t an ideal breakdown, but it worked.  Each of them were ready and each of them had a True Love that could possibly break the curse before it fully cemented into their hearts. 

Rumple for all his idiotic, carnal, and demonic glory wasn’t concerned with them.  It was like he knew something that they didn’t.  Emma watched his golden-green, gremlin eyes.  There was no emotion behind them.  It was like the darkness of the Dark One had finally taken him completely over in this world.  She knew that she’d never seen him like this before now.  However, Red and Will had and they weren’t going to let him scare them with his old visage.

“Changeling!” Will yelled him.

He merely giggled at the thought.  Emma rolled her eyes as she looked at him. This was not the man that she knew as Mr. Gold.  No, he had fully turned into the impish creature, the demon goblin, Rumpelstiltskin that everyone else in town feared.  This was the unholy Hell that he was and now, Emma understood everyone’s reluctant fear of the man.  She wanted to give him a healthy berth, but she knew that too much depended on his death. 

It was not an easy decision for them to make.  Besides the fact that whoever took the death blow became the new Dark One, there was the fact that they were committing murder.  They could all try and reason that it was justified, but even to Emma it was still murder.  What scared her the most about it was that she didn’t care how he died or if he died, it was just the fact that he had to die.  She knew that this wasn’t the first choice that a “Charming” should come to, but they had tried to reason out other ways.  Death was truly the only option and with it came its own brand of consequences.  She hated the fact that this was basically a magical “catch 22.”

Her concentration on the man was broken by a loud, sobbing scream from Regina.  She turned to see the dragon dead, but also Coraline’s lifeless body on the ground.  In a fit of rage, Emma charged the man, who himself had been momentarily distracted by Regina’s anguish.  The sick smile on his face cemented his fate.  She would kill him.

She hit his body full tilt and felt two other hits upon him to.  When they landed it was not on the dirty, earthy floor of the clearing, but dark gray asphalt.  She could see the bright safety orange spray painted line mere feet before her. 

As he was pinned down, she felt over his back and secured the dagger in her left hand.  Then, she was pulled off of him by a confident and sturdy hand.  She heard the growl and felt Red closeness to her.  Then, like a bullet hit her in the abdomen, she fell over the line holding onto Rumple.  She heard her sword clang on the ground as it hit. 

When she looked up into his eyes, all she saw was brown before her world went black.


	43. Chapter 43

“EMMA!!!!!!!!!!!”

Her head hurt like a mother fucker and she couldn’t understand why.  She tried to move her head and only found more pain.  She groaned as she tried move and found that she couldn’t really.

“Emma?” a voice asked very close to her ear.

“Ugh…”

“Don’t move too much.  I’ll take you back.  Just lie still.”

“I can’t move,” she managed to say.

The world was nothing but blackness and pain.  She squeezed her hands trying to find something of purchase, something to find reality and relief in.  Her hand closed again and then she realized that she was holding something hard.  She wanted to look at it, but she couldn’t move.  She tried to move her arm and she felt it drag across something that felt like rock and concrete.

“Stop moving.  I need to think.  Red, don’t cross.  You can’t cross,” Emma heard the voice say.

She heard a growl in response.  She could hear panting and whimpering, too.  Then if she concentrated she could hear the scrapping of a dog’s nails against…roadway. 

Emma took a deep breath and let it go.  Her body burned with pain and her mind screamed for her to pass back out so that her body to try to heal itself without her being in complete agony.  She is fighting for consciousness and understanding of what was going on around her.

“Emma, can you hear me?”

“Yes…”

“Okay, good.  You’ve fallen over the line.  I’m with you but you’ve been hurt.  I can’t tell how, but I know that you are in immense pain.  I have to get you back to Regina.  She’ll know what to do.  I’m going to have to pick you up and move you back across the line.  I am sorry if I hurt you.  I have to do this.”

“Tell me what happened,” Emma quietly demanded.

“We stopped Rumple.”

Emma’s head swam with thoughts.  Was the Imp dead?  If so, who killed him? 

“Is he dead?” Emma asked.

“I don’t know and right now, I don’t care.  He has no magic here.  He’s over the line.”

“Fully?”

“I dragged him completely over once I knew that you were still alive.”

Emma slightly smiled.  The imp finally got what was coming to him.  He was no impotent and in the real world.  He couldn’t come back to hurt them.  There was no way for him to cross the line thanks to her mother’s second curse.  Then her mind reared at that thought.  She was over the line with her old friend from Boston Will.  How did this happen?  How would they get back?

She felt herself lifted off the ground.  It was like she was weightless.  It was almost euphoric.  She knew that this was because of the immensity of the pain that she felt. 

She felt her weight being shifted in Will’s arms.  She was glad for her friend’s strength.  She felt herself turn into Will’s body, seeking the strength and warmth, to aid in elevating her pain.  There was a quiet comfort in her friend’s arms.  She began to understand why Regina had been so drawn to her and so hurt when Will ran from her.  Will’s quiet strength and absolute loyalty to the family and friends that chose was astounding.  She was not a small woman, but her giant heart belong to a people and a race that Emma might never understand, but she knew that she felt a kinship to her.  She would forever call her family, regardless of her position amongst them all.

“She’s lucky to have you,” Emma stated half delirious because of the pain coursing through her.

Will looked down at her blond friend and smiled.  She had no idea who she meant, but the fact that Emma said it meant a lot.  She knew about Emma’s background.  She knew who had hurt Emma before and she was determined not to be on that list.  She had done everything she could for the young homeless woman back in Boston.  Finding out that she loved Regina just made Will love her more.  She knew Regina’s darkest past, a past that not many people ever found out about.  Then, she thought about Coraline.  Her heart started to sink.

“What’s wrong?” Emma asked, feeling the change in Will’s muscles.

The tension around the warrior was palpable.  Emma knew something had to cross her mind as they crossed the town line. Then, more of the fight came back to her.  She realized that they were still at the town line and that Coraline and Regina weren’t with them.  They must still be  in the woods fighting the dragon.  She then knew what Will’s anguish was.

“She’ll be okay, Will.”

“We don’t know that, Emma.”

“She’s my daughter.  I know that.  She’s a fighter and she’s a survivor.  Plus, ‘Gina’s with her.”

“Don’t let her hear you call her that,” Will warned with a laugh.

“I won’t,” Emma laughed and then coughed.

Her body was riddled with pain again.  She coughed and tried not to scream at the more than blinding pain that she felt.  Tears burned in her eyes.  Her muscles felt like they were on fire.  Her lungs begged for a deeper breath but her ribs wouldn’t allow it.  She took as deep a breath as she dared, well, at least until the pain stopped her.

“Can you hold on?” Will asked her.

“To what?”

“Red,” Will answered.

She heard the Wolf near them.  She heard the high pitched whimper at seeing Emma’s condition up close and personal.  She felt the warm muzzle of her friend brush against her hanging hand.

“I will,” Emma told her.

There was a brief exchange of grunts, whimpers and growls.  Then, Emma felt herself being turned over and sat on Red’s back.  Then, there was odd feeling of warmth around her.  She realized that Red told Will to get on as well.  Will must have wrapped her body around Emma’s to not only keep her warm and out of shock, but to keep Emma astride the large Wolf.

She felt a feeling of moving.  She barely registered the breeze flowing across whatever exposed skin she had.  There was a moment of flying, but Emma knew in the back of her mind that it was all a pain induced dream.  Will couldn’t fly and neither could Red.  They were probably barreling through town as fast as Red could go.  She knew that the severity of the situation caused Red to push herself past her limits.  She mentally wrote a list of people that she would have to thank for helping her deal with everything that had happened today. 

There was no warmth suddenly.  She felt a soft encompassing cushion surround her.  The smell of Red was gone, but she couldn’t hear anything.  Suddenly she was deaf as well as blind.  Her heart sank.  This wasn’t how things were supposed to turn out today, but if this meant that Coraline had a better life with both of her parents than she would stay blind and deaf.  She knew that Regina wouldn’t let her stay like that for long. 

She felt things around her but she wasn’t sure what they were.  Then, she distinctly felt hands on her.  She couldn’t tell whose they were, but they were many.  She dreamed that she could pick out whose hands were on her in her mind’s eyes, but she wasn’t sure if she was right. 

“Regina?” Emma asked.

She felt two hands on her right arm move up slightly to her shoulder.  Then, she felt something wet drip on her skin.  _Tears,_ she thought.  Then she wondered how she could feel them.  She felt cool air all over her body.  _When the Hell did I get naked,_ she thought.  She tried to concentrate on what she as feeling and how her body was reacting to being touched, but not being able to see it.  She closed her eyes, even though she still couldn’t see, because it helped her think better.

She couldn’t tell if anyone was talking to her.  She couldn’t hear anything but the blood in her ears and that was deafening to her.  She felt her adrenaline spiking again in fear.  Her body was preparing for a fight.  She knew that she had to be surrounded by people that cared for her, but she couldn’t tell who they were.  She tried to relax her body with the hope that it was really Regina that was touching her.

Regina was beside herself.  Both her lover and their daughter were hurt and lying in beds next to each other.  She wanted to scream but she didn’t have time to do that.  She needed to help her family.  She had to keep it together.  She couldn’t break down now.

She had both of her hands on Emma’s shoulders.  She was trying to will Emma better.  She needed to have Emma at her side.  She wasn’t sure that she could handle having both of them hurt this bad at the same time.  She needed Emma’s support and unwavering optimism.  She would probably end up killing both Snow and Charming if they tried.

She looked over at Will.  She could see her own pain reflected in her deep blue eyes.  They were in pain and there was nothing that either of them could do.  Neither Will nor Regina was good at being helpless. 

Blue and Tink were doing what they could for them, but Regina wanted more.  She stared down at the burned body of her daughter.  She sighed, but she didn’t let go of Emma.  Blue was trying to heal Emma.  Regina watched the blue magic flowing from her wand into her lover, but it didn’t seem to be doing anything. 

Coraline moaned.  Tink stood closer and closed her eyes.  She concentrated on healing Coraline with her green-tinted magic.  The burns were slowly healing.  All of her wounds were knitting themselves closed.  But it was slow and tedious and obviously very painful.

Regina couldn’t watch.  It hurt her heart to hear her daughter in so much pain.  She closed her eyes and focused more on Emma.  Emma groaned beneath her, but still didn’t seem responsive.  She kept mumbling Regina’s name, but she never replied to any of Regina’s questions or statements.  She only seemed to relax when Regina touched her, like she couldn’t hear her or see her being there by her side.

Snow was torn.  She couldn’t help.  She wasn’t magical.  She was a warrior and a princess.  She had a basic knowledge of healing herbs and salves, but nothing that she could create could help either of them. 

Charming held her.  He wanted someone to tell him what to do.  He needed to be of some service, even if it was to go kill Rumple or some other evil being or creature.  He needed a job.  He didn’t want to focus on his daughter and granddaughter as they both moaned in pain.

Regina had been thinking, trying to remember anything that could help her heal both her lover and Coraline.  She prayed to anyone that would listen that Emma would survive this so they could get married and raise Remy, who would become Coraline, together.  She also prayed for her adult daughter that she wouldn’t suffer and that she would find the answers to her prayers. 

“Regina?” Will asked, meeting her eyes, again.

“Yes?” Regina replied, looking up at her with tear filled eyes.

“Does Rumple have a vault here?”

“It’s not a vault,” Belle told them.  “It’s the shop.  What do you need?”

“Does he have a blanket in his possession?” Will asked her, turning to Belle, sad blue eyes meeting the librarian’s bright sapphire eyes.

“He has different blankets.  I need more information.  Can you describe it?”

“It would have functioned as a Vulcannonian cloak.  It was purple and black.  It would have a swirling pattern on it, especially in the center.  It would be big enough to completely wrap a body in for burial or for two to share on a bed,” Will told her.

“He does have one like that,” Belle answered.

“I need it,” Will stated.

“For what?”

“Is it yours?” Regina asked.

“It is.”

“Get it, Belle and be quick about it.  Snow, go to my house.  Go into Coraline’s room.  You’ll see a similar blanket upon her bed.  Bring and hurry.”

“I’ll go,” Charming stated. “You can ride with me, Belle.  I’ll drive.”

And, with that Charming and Belle were gone.  Snow knew that he was happy to have job.  She was glad that she wasn’t leaving her family’s side.  Knowing that Regina had trusted her enough to send her to the mansion to get Coraline’s blanket had earned the former Evil Queen more points in Snow’s book.  She knew that they might never see eye to eye on everything, but she could see how determined Regina to save and heal both Emma and Coraline.

Red couldn’t take being in the room anymore.  She had been pacing since they got to the Abbey.  Will watched her with narrow eyes.  The Wolf needed to run.  It needed something to hunt.  It wasn’t over its bloodlust.  Will could tell that Red needed to injure something to feel better.

“Red?”

The Wolf woman stopped pacing. 

“Go back to the woods.  Check on the well.  Make sure that Rumple didn’t reopen it.  Then, make sure that bloody dragon isn’t going to hurt anyone else.  Call me if anything goes wrong.”

Red was out the door.  She scared the other fairies as she phased before she got out of the Abbey’s main door.  Will knew that she felt responsible for Emma’s condition.  She also knew that the Wolf was restless waiting for something to happen.  Giving her the task was more than just giving Red something to do, it was gathering information for Will.  Red knew that.  It didn’t matter that Coraline and Emma were hurt; Will would protect everything that Regina held dear.

“Where’s Henry?” Will asked.

Snow and Regina immediately looked around the room.  Henry wasn’t there.  Snow immediately pulled out her cell phone and called the teenager.  He answered.  He was with Red.  Snow let them know and Regina immediately went back to her vigil over Emma and Coraline.  She knew that as long as Henry was with Red, he was still safe and that was all that mattered.

 

_Regina was sitting on her bed awaiting Will’s return.  The King was gone and Snow was in the Summer Palace.  She had already sent the Huntsman for her because she knew that Will would not and could not kill Snow.  As much as she wanted to obey Regina, her duty was to the entire royal family and unfortunately for Regina that included the young Snow._

_She was lost in her thoughts.  Life was looking better.  Things were getting better in the kingdom now that her mother was out of her way and the King was on his way to being dead.  She was the Queen.  There would be some minor disputes about that fact, but her soldiers were quelling the minor rebellions.  She only had to find Snow to make sure that they would be completely squashed._

_She sighed.  She was bored.  There was really nothing for her to do in the castle.  She longed to go riding, now that she could without the accompaniment of the King because of Will, but she’d promised Will that she wouldn’t leave the castle grounds until she got back.  She knew that Will was riding the boarders.  She also knew that Will was torn in her loyalty._

_“My Queen,” a voice called from the door way._

_“Enter,” she replied automatically._

_She turned around to see Will standing just inside her doorway.  She was covered from head to toe in grim, dirt and blood.  Something in Regina stirred because she knew that Will looked the way she did because of her loyalty and love for Regina.  She moved off the bed and crossed the room, only stopping when she was in front of her Vulcannonian Knight._

_“You are a sight, Dear,” Regina mused, circling in a predatory nature._

_“I am sure that I am.  The lands to the East of the Ogre Mountains have been dealt with.  They will no longer be a problem.  In fact, their armies are on the run.  If you wish, we could chase them back and take the land for ourselves,” Will told her._

_“No, let them go.  I have no wish to conquer.  I just want what is mine.”_

_“As you wish, Majesty,” Will replied._

_“Any news from the Huntsman?”_

_“Not to me, M’lady.”_

_“Hmm…are you sure that you can’t be persuaded to deal with that situation?”_

_“You know I cannot,” Will stated firmly._

_“Pity, I am sure that you would be more merciful to her than I will be if she continues to elude the Huntsman.  Would you like me to clean you up?  All you have to do is ask, Dear,” she said._

_“You should forget this endeavor, my Queen.  It will not do you any good.  I fear that you will not be happy even with their deaths.  Surely there is something that I can do to help you.”_

_“What do you propose, Knight?” Regina asked with her voice full of venom._

_“I gave my body to the King for you, Regina.  What else would you ask of me?  I cannot die for you.  My contract with the house of White was specific.  I cannot harm the royal family.”_

_“What if I deemed her illegitimate?”_

_“It wouldn’t matter.  She is still Leopold’s daughter.  Her legitimacy to the throne doesn’t matter.  I cannot hurt her.  You know this,” Will replied._

_Regina stared at her.  Will had always done everything she asked regardless of moral except for dispose of Leopold and Snow.  That was the one thing that she wouldn’t dare touch.  Regina could appreciate her convictions but it still hurt that she was probably never going to be free of either of them.  Killing Leopold was divine providence and great timing.  But destroying his bratty daughter was proving to be harder than anticipated._

_“You can still do your worst to me if you need to,” Will offered, kneeling before her._

_Regina turned away from Will.  She stared down into the throne room.  She could see the servants moving around the castle doing their daily chores and tasks.  Then, she looked out to where she could see out of the castle into the mountains surrounding the palace.  The stared at them realizing again why this area was called the Winterlands.  It was cold and harsh in the Winter, but it wasn’t much better in the Spring and Summer.  It was livable and she could live there without worry.  It wasn’t home, but it was enough to call it a house._

_“You want me to beat you?” Regina asked her without turning around._

_If she had, she would have seen Regina’s eyebrow cocked.  She would have seen the smug smile on her face.  She would have seen the gleam in Regina’s eyes.  She couldn’t see it, but she could hear it in Regina’s voice.  Will had been around Regina long enough to know her moods and how she would react to certain situations._

_“Will it make you feel better?” Wilhelmina asked her wanting a truthful answer._

_“Why do you do that?”_

_“Do what?”_

_“Give yourself to me so freely,” Regina stated._

_“That is my job, my Queen.  I know that you never read all the fine print of the contract, but my body and life are yours.  I cannot die, so nothing that you do to me will actually hurt me.  If I can do this for you and it will help curb your anger, than I will take it.  I am yours,” Wilhelmina said as she closed the distance between them some more._

_Regina looked into her cobalt eyes.  There was no deception there.  Regina felt like she could lose herself in them if she desired, but love and desire wasn’t something that Regina was after.  She wanted Daniel and she wanted to punish Snow for not keeping her mouth shut.  Wilhelmina couldn’t give her that and she knew it.  She could be a nice distraction, for the time being._

_“Do you wish to punish me, my Queen?”_

_“For what?”_

_“Not obeying,” Wilhelmina answered quickly._

_“There is and has only been one thing that you will not do and I don’t believe that flogging you within an inch of a normal man’s life is fitting punishment.”_

_“Does it not give you pleasure anymore, Regina?”_

_“No, it doesn’t.”_

_“Then what would you have me do to make you happy.”_

_“You know what I want,” Regina answered._

_“Regina, please.  Stop asking.  It is getting a little brattish of you.  I know you want the royal family out of your way so that you can do whatever it is that you want to do, but I cannot to that for you.  If you want, however, I’ll find a way to dispatch that Imp that you try to hide from me.”_

_“Wilhelmina!”_

_“What?”_

_“How do you expect me to take you serious when you say things like that?”_

_“I am being serious.  That Imp is not making you happy.  All he is doing is feeding your anger.  I don’t like you like this, my Queen.  This isn’t helpful.  There has to be a way that we can deal with your anger.  I need to help you.  There has to be something that I can do,” Wilhelmina said._

_Regina turned around to look down at throne room.  Her mind raced.  She knew that Rumple wanted something from her, but she didn’t know what it was.  She knew that Wilhelmina meant well, but she didn’t think that the Vulcannonian could heal the pain in her heart._

_“Come with me,” Regina stated, taking the knight’s hand._

_She drug her down the corridor to a hidden a room that only they had access to.  Once inside, Regina threw her against the stone wall and shut the hidden door.  Wilhelmina took it all in stride.  She locked herself to the wall and waited for Regina to do her worst.  The chains rattled slightly as she turned around to expose her back to Regina’s wrath._

_“Do you really think this will make me feel better?” Regina asked as she stalked up to her._

_Wilhelmina could feel the heat from Regina’s body near her back.  She didn’t need to know where Regina pulled the knife from.  It didn’t matter.  Regina eviscerated her shirt with it.  She could care less about the shirt or her flesh.  As long as Regina took her anger out on her and not the people or Leopold and Snow, Will had done her job._

_She couldn’t help but care for Regina.  She was the queen, but there was something more.  They were drawn together.  Wilhelmina could tell that their destinies were intertwined.  Their lives would always intersect.  Will wasn’t sure if that frightened her or made her happy.  She enjoyed serving Regina.  They were closer in age and education than she had been with Snow.  She didn’t feel like a babysitter.  She felt more like a friend and a confidant._

_Regina leaned up against her now naked back and she placed her mouth just to the edge of Wilhelmina’s ear.  She could feel the Queen’s breath dancing upon her and she felt the tell-tale sting of want building inside her.  She squelched the feeling because she knew that it wasn’t for Regina but for the terror that Regina would inflict upon her back.  It was the lash that craved, not the sweet honeyed touch of the Queen.  Wilhelmina could admit that Regina was beautiful and she was attractive, but Regina didn’t want her in that respect and Wilhelmina would never overstep her boundaries as a knight to her._

_“You like my touch, don’t you?” Regina asked as she moved the chains to pull Wilhelmina away from the wall and left her standing in the middle of this secret room of horrors that they had created for them both._

_It was as much a room for Wilhelmina as it was for Regina.  They could deal with their frustrations together there.  And, they both enjoyed the darkness that they destroyed together there.  It was a mutual relationship.  It was a form of symbiosis that they didn’t know that they mutually needed until they embarked on this strange and taboo liaison._

_“I find it…pleasing, yes,” Wilhelmina finally answered when Regina was standing in front of her, dark coffee colored eyes hiding the pain that Wilhelmina knew lied beneath._

_“You are a strange person,” Regina mused as she continued to circle around her._

_“I am only strange because I am not like you.”_

_“That much is true, my dear Vulcannonian.  What am I to do with you?  You who have decided to become my conscience.  What am I really supposed to do with you?  You let me destroy your body over and over in order to protect people and my mind.  You ask nothing of me except to be my knight and protect me, from all threats supposed or not.  You, my Dear, are a conundrum.”_

_“But, I am still yours,” Wilhelmina said, not moving away from Regina’s touch._

_“Why?” Regina asked._

_She couldn’t disguise the emotion in her voice.  She honestly couldn’t fathom the need that she had for Wilhelmina.  It didn’t make sense.  She didn’t love her, but she really couldn’t imagine her life without her now that she had the knight in her personal employ.  Wilhelmina had done what so many others had tried and failed at doing.  She was Regina’s friend._

_“Because the pain is only momentary for me, but you suffer from it constantly. If I can give you some relief from that, then I will do it.  It is part of my duty.  And, as it is part of my duty, it gives me pleasure to do it.  Is that so wrong, my Queen?  That I as a servant find pleasure in serving you, no matter what service I provide?” Wilhelmina asked her._

_“No, I suppose not,” Regina replied staring deeply into her eyes._

_“So, what can I do for you, majesty?”_

_“Oh, do shut up,” Regina told her moving around behind her._

_She looked over to the table.  Upon it she saw the implements that would ruin Wilhelmina’s skin.  She selected a short flogger.  The leather would be perfect for lashing the perfect skin of Wilhelmina’s back.  Regina wondered how long it would take for her to break that skin._

_She took a tentative first few swats.  She smiled at beautiful pink welts that rose on Wilhelmina’s back.  They dotted it and made some awful crosshatching.  Regina smiled at her work._

_“Would you like more?” Regina asked her._

_She could see the sweat beading on Will’s forehead, a testament to the pain that her body was feeling even though they both knew that the wounds would be healed before morning.  It didn’t matter what Regina did to her.  Wilhelmina would be whole again before the end of the night._

_“Do you feel better?” Wilhelmina questioned._

_Regina studied her.  There was something about the look in her eyes that Regina couldn’t get passed.  Her supplication was complete and absolute.  Regina couldn’t understand the woman’s complete and utter surrender to Regina’s will.  It wasn’t…she was just…Wilhelmina was odd._

_“No,” Regina replied quietly._

_Her mind was running through different scenarios as she looked at the damage that she had already caused.  She knew that it could be worse and it would be.  Once her anger boiled over, she knew what she would do to her back.  Regina had limits even in her destructiveness.  She would take her anger out on Wilhelmina’s flesh, but it was always on her back.  She took a step back and thought about why they were there.  She looked at her back again.  Then she tried to justify her need to punish Wilhelmina for not obeying the one order that she refused to carry out._

_“Why can’t you deal with them for me?” Regina questioned, flogging her with each word._

_She’d found her anger.  It was Snow, but there was more to it than that.  She knew that it went deeper and further than a child’s betrayal, but she didn’t want to explore it at the moment.  She wanted to make someone pay for Daniel’s death.  And, since she couldn’t harm Snow, Wilhelmina was a willing scapegoat.  It wasn’t enough for Regina though.  The anger and hatred for what Regina lost burned inside her and she let it flow through the small, multi-lash whip flogger that she was using._

_She could hear the sweet sound of the leather through the air.  She could taste the faint metallic air that each slap of the flogger upon Wilhelmina’s flesh made denser and more apparent.  She reveled in each wet tear and slash upon her and dreamed that she was taking this punishment out on Snow’s milky hide.  Each whipping caused her anger to stir and then start to fade.  There was no screams coming from Wilhelmina’s mouth, but soft grunts and moans with each smack of the leather thongs upon her destroyed skin._

_But, suddenly those groans changed.  They were no longer painful, but there was something more on them.  Regina knew how close some people teetered on the edge of pain and pleasure, but this was downright sickening for her.  Wilhelmina was enjoying the flogging to the point of ecstasy.  Regina stopped her ministrations and watched the poor ruined woman before her._

_“Are you satisfied, my Queen?” Wilhelmina asked._

_“You know that I am not,” Regina answered._

_“Then continue, my Queen.”_

_“Why do you take her lashings?  Why do you protect her?  I do not understand,” Regina replied._

_“And you won’t, my glorious lady, until you have a child you consider your own.  I know that you won’t have the King’s child, but someday, Regina, mark my words.  You will move heaven and earth to protect your children.  You will do anything and everything for them.”_

_“I cannot have children.  I made sure of that.  When Snow dies, it will end the White line.”_

_“I am not talking about Snow or the lineage of that man we call the King.  I am talking about the children that you will bear and raise, Regina.  One day you will find love again and when you do, you will give your entire being into being their mother and protecting them from any and all threats.  You will use everything at your disposal to defend them,” Wilhelmina told her._

_“But, you don’t understand, Wilhelmina.”_

_“Don’t understand what?”_

_“I cannot have children.  I cursed my womb.  I will never carry a child within it,” Regina stated._

_“Things can change, Regina.  You will find someone that you are willing to be everything for and then you will see what love can really do for you.  You will find love again and this time, I beg you: don’t let it go,” Wilhelmina said._

_Regina lost it.  She didn’t want love.  Love destroyed her.  Love was weakness.  She was strong and she would continue to be strong._

_Before she realized what she was doing, she was flogging Wilhelmina with all her strength.  She tore into her flesh and flailed it open.  She whipped and flogged until Wilhelmina’s back was nothing but ribbons of flesh and blood.  She admired her work, knowing that it wouldn’t leave that room for any others to see._

_She walked around to look once more into Wilhelmina’s eyes.  She could see pain echoed in her sapphire eyes, just as Wilhelmina could see the red of anger in her own chestnut eyes.  She dropped the flogger on the floor and unchained Wilhelmina.  Her body slumped to the floor.  Regina gathered the Vulcannonian’s cloak and draped it around Wilhelmina’s shoulders._

_“One day, Regina, you will need this cloak.  One day, you will ask for my help to save something precious for you.  I can only wonder where we will be when you do.  Will you still be flogging me in secret?  Or, will you dismiss me because I am the only one that will stand up to you?”_

_Regina left her, then.  She didn’t want to think about the future.  She wanted Snow’s head.  She would send for the Huntsman, tomorrow.  She would know what she wanted.  She would see what the Huntsman is willing to do.  Maybe he could deal with her royal problem._

Snow met Belle just outside of Gold’s shop.  She was amazed that they were both holding the same blanket.  Snow recognized it.  She didn’t realize that she had until she had seen it laid out on the bed.  Belle smiled at her.

“We need to get back,” Snow said.

“You know what these are, don’t you?” Belle asked her.

“Yes, they are Vulcannonian cloaks,” Snow answered.

“No, they are more than that.  What is it, Snow?  What do you remember about them?”

“They are commonly called Resurrection cloaks or blankets by the mages of the Enchanted Forest.  Vulcannonian cloth was known for its healing properties and they protected it fiercely.  I can’t believe that Gold had one and never bothered to use it on himself,” Snow replied.

“I don’t think that he remembered that he had it.  He had it buried deeply among his linens.  If he knew what it was, he didn’t use it.  I know that he collected different Vulcannonian cloaks.  Each family line had different lines and the different colors did different things.”

“How do you know that?” Snow asked her as they raced back to the Abbey.

“I’ve always been an avid reader,” Belle replied.

“Uh huh, and what does that have to do with this?” Snow inquired as they pulled into the parking lot in front of the Abbey.

“I was alone a lot at Rumple’s castle.  I read a lot.  It was how I dealt with everything.”

“Have you ever talked to anyone about your time with him?” Snow asked, unsure if she would get an answer.

“Not really, no.  It has never seemed like the right time.  By the time that I was away from him, Regina had kidnapped me.  Then we were here, but I was on the psych ward under the hospital and the only visitor I ever got was Regina and that was only to my door.”

“I am surprised that you have forgiven her for that,” Snow mused.

“It is no different than you forgiving her, Snow.  She had her problems.  She was angry and she took it out on those around her.  I cannot fault her for that.  You know who her teachers were.  She was taught to be evil and embrace her anger.  There was nothing that she could really do.  Wilhelmina and Emma seem to be the only things that ever made her sane enough to see what she was doing was wrong.  Now, do I find it odd that we are becoming best friends?  Yes, I do.”

“I am sorry,” Snow replied not knowing what else to say.

“I am not.  I found the woman behind the mask of the Evil Queen, much like Emma did.  She is a good woman.  She raged for years and she is still paying for it.  She knows it was wrong, but she couldn’t stop herself because she was in so much pain and she couldn’t see anything that would make the pain go away.  She didn’t have someone that loved her, like we did,” Belle told her.

Snow was quiet.  She didn’t know what to say.  She loved Regina in her own way, like she was an older sister, but it hadn’t been enough.  And, Snow was too young to understand at the time.  She barely understood now because she always had someone in her corner.  At first, it was her father, Leopold.  Then, it was Charming and the dwarves.  By the time Regina and Snow were at war, it was a greater number of people.  She had always been surrounded by love where Regina hadn’t.  Snow could see how Regina’s anger shaped her into the dark woman that became the Evil Queen.  She could also see how her love for Henry and Henry’s love for her started the changes in Regina’s demeanor. 

Emma became a bigger target for both Regina’s love and hate.  Snow saw it and she knew how thin the line was between the two.  She just never thought that her step-mother and her arch-nemesis would fall in love with her daughter, the Savior.  But, then again, it was poetic and the perfect ending to their fairy tale lives.  It made sense that way.  Emma saved Regina’s soul and gave her the love that she was so desperately wanting.

“Belle?”

“Yes, Snow,” Belle replied as they entered the Abbey.

“Regina has changed because of Emma.”

“She has.”

“And, you’ve both become closer because of Coraline and Rumple, among other reasons.”

“We have,” Belle responded wondering where Snow was going with her line of thought.

“I want my Regina back,” Snow said.

“Then talk to her.  Get to know her.  Love her, Snow.”

“I never stopped loving her, Belle.  Why do you think I never killed her?  I couldn’t execute her.  She may not have been my mother or a good step-mother, but I’ve always thought of her as my older sister.  She was there for me when father wasn’t, no matter what he did to her.  She always cared for me until he died,” Snow explained.

“Then, let’s get your daughter and granddaughter well so you can mend that relationship as well.  I am sure that Regina wants to have a relationship with you.  Coraline has been a catalyst for us all.  She may be called the Survivor in her day, but for us, she is a lover in all its forms.”

“That she is.  She has fixed more relationships between people in this town since she has been here.  I think that she gets that from Charming.  He is a lover and that is why he fights.”

“And, I think she gets it from Regina.  They both love with all their being and they are willing to do whatever they have to do in order to save their families.  They are both willing to die to protect us, Snow.  Can you say the same?” Belle asked her as they walked into the impromptu infirmary where Coraline and Emma were being cared for.

Snow looked at Regina.  She saw the love for both her daughter and her granddaughter in her eyes.  Regina looked up and met Snow’s hazel eyes.  She gave her a weak smile as the fairies fluffed out and then draped the blankets over Emma and Coraline to help them heal.

“Thank you,” Regina told her, still holding her gaze.

“You’re welcome, Regina.”


	44. Chapter 44

Emma was warm, too warm and she couldn’t get away from the heat.  She tried and tried, but the heat around her stayed constant.  She was in a dark room with voices, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying.  She was thrashing and trying to find something on which to hold on to.  There was nothing for her to grasp.  She was scared and it was the worst fear that she’d ever felt.

She wasn’t sure if she knew what was going on around her.  The darkness was all encompassing.  She raised her hands to see if any of the voices would come closer, but she still couldn’t see anything.  Her mind was reeling as she still felt nothing.

She stopped trying to fight the darkness that was surrounding her.  She took a deep breath and looked inside her heart.  There she felt the warmth of the love that she shared with Henry, the depth of love that she had for Regina and familial strength that she shared with her parents.  There was suddenly a light within that she hadn’t felt since she kissed Henry’s forehead years ago when she broke the curse.  The light, the warmth, whatever it was, she knew was pure love.

She let her body bathe in this feeling.  She felt lighter.  There was nothing weighing down her soul.  She reached out again and she felt something this time.  She didn’t know exactly what it was, but she could grasp it.  She could feel it and it gave her the grounding that she needed to call upon her magical power from within.

“Regina?” she called out.

_Regina turned her head and looked at the pallet platform that Emma was laying on. She thought that she had heard her say something, but she wasn’t sure.  Emma still had yet to wake.  She hoped that the sounds from Emma’s mouth weren’t a dream and that her beloved was waking._

_She stared intently at her mouth, waiting for more words to pour forth.  She held her breath.  She looked up to the wooden plank ceiling of the chapel of the Abbey.  She counted the boards and waited for Emma to say something else, anything else, just as long as she said something else.  Regina needed her to be okay.  She needed to see her beautiful green eyes and believe that everything was going to be okay._

_She looked around the room.  Everyone was just as distraught as she was.  She didn’t meet any of their eyes.  She couldn’t.  She didn’t want to see the emotion there.  She let her mind go towards healing Emma more and allowed her magic to flow freely._

_She didn’t know if it would help, but she wasn’t going to wait on Blue to come up with some magical cure.  She was going to fight for her lover and her child.  She knew that Will was looking at Coraline the same way that she was looking at Emma.  They were in good hands.  She just needed them both to get well._

_She heard the silent whispers.  She didn’t know what they were talking about, but she didn’t care.  She didn’t want to hear doubts._

_“You will all stay positive,” she commanded the room._

_The Queen had come out of her and she saw Snow shrink back in fear.  She knew that they were all wondering what Regina would do if…  No, she didn’t want to think about that.  Emma would wake and get better.  They would see that.  They had to know that Emma wasn’t going to give up without a fight.  She was the Saviour after all and Regina still needed saving._

She still couldn’t see anything, but she could feel.  It was enough to spur her forward into what ever abyss she’d found herself.  There would be light at the end of this Hellish tunnel.  She just needed a hand in finding the right direction.

She didn’t get an answer, but then again she was prepared to get one either.  It was enough for her to know that there was something to hold on to.  She wanted it to be Regina she was touching, so that is what her mind told her.  She knew that she wouldn’t know until her other senses told her the truth. 

She opened her eyes, or she thought she did.  She still didn’t see anything but darkness.  Then she sniffed.  She figured if she couldn’t see, she would try her other senses.  She could smell something, but it wasn’t distinct.  There was a normalness and general quality to it.  There was nothing that she could particularly pick out that would tell her anything more than she was in darkness.

The pressure on her hand changed.  She felt something on the back of her hand.  It felt like movement, but she wasn’t quite sure. 

“Regina?” she called out again.

_Regina’s heart was sinking.  She didn’t know how to help Emma any more than she already was.  She was flowing her magic into her and it seemed to be working, but Emma still hadn’t woken up._

_She’d watched as Snow covered her in the blanket from Rumple’s shop.  She watched as Emma’s body knitted itself.  She examined where the cuts and bruises had been, noting at the fresh skin that never looked like it had been marred.  She noticed that other scars had disappeared, too._

_She looked up at Snow and her heart broke a little more.  She knew that Snow was hurting just as bad as she was.  She could see her pain mirrored in the younger woman’s eyes.  They both had daughters lying there, injured, with no understanding of when they would be completely healed and better._

_“Snow?”_

_“Yes?”_

_“Touch her.  Let her know that you are here.  It’ll help her,” Regina told her, not knowing if it were true, but hoping it was._

_“I can’t lose her like this,” Snow muttered pulling a chair closer to her daughter’s bunk._

_She stared at the crude platform and then back at Regina.  She could see the love and the heartache in her dark eyes.  Snow didn’t know what to do.  She wasn’t knowledgeable in the ways of magic.  She could only hope that whatever Regina and the fairies were doing would bring Emma hack to her.  She had fluffed the blanket out on top of Emma’s broken body as soon she as could, hoping the stories that Belle and Coraline had told her were true._

The pressure on her hand got more defined.  It felt like fingers wrapped around her hand.  She thought about the feeling and realized that it was someone holding her hand.  The feeling on the back of her hand was someone’s thumb rubbing across it.

Feelings shot thru her mind.  Things started to make sense and even though she couldn’t see a damn thing, she wasn’t afraid anymore.  She kept her mind on that hand holding hers.  It was her light.  It was her warmth and it was going to bring her back from whatever hellish nightmare that she was in now.  She tried to remember how she got where she was, but nothing that she thought of made any sense.  It was like there was only the here and now.

She held on to the belief that it was Regina holding her hand, giving her a guiding way back to life and reality, and not letting her go into the darkness that was trying to consume her.  She was fighting and it was all because she knew, in the depth of her heart that her family was waiting for her at the other end of her hand. 

“Regina?” she asked again and felt the hand on hers clench tighter.

_“She’ll be fine,” Regina told her, meeting her gaze, but she wasn’t sure if she was saying it for Snow’s or her own benefit._

_She hoped that the determination in her voice reached Emma’s cars.  She couldn’t lose her, not like this.  She had just found her and they were having a child.  She wouldn’t let Emma go without a fight.  She refused to believe that she wouldn’t get better._

She fought for that feeling.  She held on to it.  She needed it to fuel her to fight her way back.

There was something blinding her.  A light she couldn’t describe that was so powerful it took her breath away.  She grabbed at her chest hoping to elevate the burning pain that began to grow. 

Suddenly she was gasping.  She felt more hands on her body.  She could feel two distinctly pushing down on her shoulders.  She didn’t know they were on her shoulders.  She was standing, wasn’t she?  But, suddenly she felt like she was lying down.  She didn’t know why.

“Regina?” she called out again.

_She felt a warmth growing in Emma’s hand.  She held onto it and pushed more of her magic into her.  She didn’t know what else to do.  She couldn’t pray to any deity simply because she didn’t believe in any of them.  She only believed in herself, magic, and Emma’s unwavering being.  It had to be enough._

The hands lessened the pressure on her shoulders.  That was when she distinctly felt more than one pair of hands on her.  She wished that she could see what was going on beyond the darkness that had enveloped her, but she still couldn’t.  She could then tell that she was lying down, but she didn’t know on what.  She knew it wasn’t her bed or Regina’s.  She didn’t remember anything before going to the woods to find Coraline.

Her mind jerked as her body revolted at the new thoughts circling in her head.  She remembered why they went to the woods.  Had Rumple unleashed the Darkness upon them all?  Was she the first victim?  Had they travelled back to the Enchanted Forest thru a portal?  She had so many questions and no answers.  She wasn’t sure that she could even get answers for her questions if she tried.  She couldn’t hear anything.  She still couldn’t see.  All, she could do was smell and feel.  And, knowing that there were five hands on her from at least three different individuals wasn’t going to help her answer any of her questions.  Her body jerked again and she tried to quieten her mind.  She knew that it would do no good for to be this upset about it, right now.

“Regina,” she said again, but this time there was no question behind the wording.

_She looked up and saw Henry’s hazel eyes reflecting the worry and pain of everyone else in the room.  She beckoned him over.  He came over to where she was with measured steps, like he was afraid that if he got too close he would see that Emma was dying.  Regina could feel the fear rolling off of him in waves and she understood it.  She grabbed his hand with her unoccupied one and pulled him closer._

_“She’ll get better, Henry,” she told him._

_“I can’t help her,” he whispered._

_“What?” Regina asked him, wondering what his thinking was._

_“I am the author and I can’t stop any of this.  I could have stopped it all.  I could make everything better, but I broke that damn pen.  I could have fixed everything, Mom.  This is my fault,” he told her._

_“None of this is your fault, Henry.  It is all Rumple’s and his insane need for whatever struck his fancy at the time.  Don’t blame yourself for this.  Now, think of happy times and good thoughts.  Give those to her,” Regina instructed him._

She could feel the hand holding hers squeeze her harder.  It didn’t let go.  The thumb that had been rubbing the back of her hand stilled for a brief second and then started again.  She focused on that hand and the feeling that it was giving her. 

She began to wonder what happened to the light that had blinded her just moments before.  She felt the strength of the hand holding hers begin to wane.  She felt like she was losing her lifeline to whatever it was that Regina was trying to pull her out of and she didn’t like it.  She let go of everything and focused solely on that hand.  She could feel the pressure on her hand grow again.  She knew then what she had to do.

“Regina, don’t let go,” she said.

_“I won’t,” Regina told her._

_She realized that Emma couldn’t hear her.  She had tried in the minutes before to start a conversation that Emma never joined.  She was starting to realize some of the extent of Emma’s injuries, real, perceived and magical._

_Snow gave her a slight smile.  It gave them both hope.  They knew that Emma knew that they were there for her.  She wasn’t alone in this fight and that she was fighting._

_She saw worry slide across Emma’s face, but she was determined to not let her feel alone or worried.  She soothed her hand with her thumb and periodically squeezed her hand, reminding Emma that she was there.  She wasn’t going to let go of her hand for anything but death.  But Emma’s death wasn’t an option that Regina was going to allow to happen.  She would do anything and she knew that she meant anything to make sure that Emma survived this._

The hand holding hers tightened.  Then she felt one of the hands from her shoulders join that hand.  She knew then that Regina could actually hear her.  She knew that it had to be Regina.  She focused on that hoping that it would give her enough strength with her magic to make the darkness enveloping her vanish enough where she could just see Regina’s face.

That is all she wanted.  She just needed to know that Regina was okay.  If Regina was okay and holding her hand, that meant that Coraline was alive.  As long as Coraline and Regina were safe, Emma had nothing else to worry about.  She felt her worry flow away.  Her body shifted on whatever she was on and she felt incredibly light.

“Regina, is Coraline safe?” she asked, not being able to stop herself.”

_“Yes, my love.  She is here with us.  Open your beautiful eyes.  See for yourself,” Regina told her, hoping against hope that Emma would obey her words._

Her body felt weightless.  The hands now holding hers squeezed tightly.  She knew that it was an answer in the affirmative.  She felt the smile come across her face.  She was happy.  She felt complete.  If she was to die, she knew that it wouldn’t have been in vain.  She’d saved her daughter from whatever perils Rumple had unleashed upon them.  She had been the Saviour, again.  Needing no other confirmation, she felt her body shift.

_Regina felt a surge of energy move through her and through Emma’s body.  It wasn’t like anything that she had felt before and it scared her.  She looked down at Emma’s body in horror as she saw her start to move and contort in un-Emma-like movements._

She lifted her arms out to her sides, but Regina never let go.  She raised her chin upwards and felt the back of her head move against something solid.  She flex at her shoulders and her hips.  Her body convulsed slightly with the movement and she felt her breath falter.  She coughed and the hand tightened.  She smiled sweetly to whoever could see her knowing that she was in darkness but they were in the light.  She no longer needed to find the way.

_“Don’t you leave me!” Regina screamed at her._

_She could feel Emma’s energy leaving her body.  There was a new darkness evading it and Regina screamed.  She closed her eyes and started letting her own life force enter Emma.  She didn’t know if it work or not and she didn’t care._

_Snow watched as Regina’s face contorted in pain.  She watched her daughter’s fall into a sickly, deathly, paler of peace.  Her heart lurched.  She grabbed the other outstretched arm and followed Regina’s movements.  She knew she didn’t have magic, but she hoped that the magic of love would be enough._

_To their surprise a red and white glow began at Emma’s hands.  It started moving towards her heart and then disappeared into her chest.  Regina watched her lover’s face relax into nothingness.  She saw the resignation.  She knew it.  Emma was sacrificing herself to whatever darkness was consuming her to save her family._

_“Don’t you dare do this, you idiot.  You’re my idiot.  You aren’t allowed to give up.  You are a fucking Charming.  Act like.  Live!”_

_Snow’s head snapped up at Regina’s words. She could see the tears flowing freely down the older Queen’s face.  Seeing Regina’s anguish, she couldn’t stop her own._

_“Emma…” Snow started to say before her sobs stopped her._

_There was no answer.  Her body was quiet, but there was a riot in her ears.  She held onto Emma’s hand harder.  She thought that if she let her go, she was really letting her go.  She refused to let Emma go._

She knew the way home.  She could feel it.  She could taste the love that was surrounding her.  She surrendered her body to it. 

_“Everyone touch her,” Regina yelled at everyone in the room._

_They slowly surrounded Emma.  Everyone was around her except Will and Coraline.  Blue kept waving her wand over her.  Tink stood there unsure of how she could help.  They each put a hand on Emma’s body._

_“Will your love into her,” Regina commanded._

_They looked around at each other, unsure of what to do.  They weren’t wise in the ways of magic, but one by one they each wished for Emma to get better.  Blue watched as she moved to Emma’s head area as the red and white lights coming from Snow and Regina’s hands grew as a glow began to emanate from everyone else there._

With another convulsion and spasm, her torso lifted in a grand arc off the pallet she was on.  Her chin tilted towards whatever ceiling was above her as her head rolled backwards.  She stopped breathing and flopped back on the table or slab or whatever, letting the darkness take her where it willed.  She would let it have her to protect her family.

_Regina watched in horror as Emma’s body convulsed and spasmed.  She cried out for Emma begging her to fight.  She held on to her body, stilling giving her everything that she could._

_Screams could be heard echoing in the room as everyone realized that Emma had giving up.  Regina wasn’t going to do that.  She refused.  She climbed up onto the platform with Emma.  She sat across her hips on her knees.  She sat back and stared down at the rapidly paling woman._

_“Damn it, Emma.  Don’t you give up on me.  Don’t you give up.  Fight.”_

_Regina leaned forward and kissed Emma’s mouth.  She hoped that it would be enough to give her a spark, a spark of life.  She felt the coolness underneath her lips, but it didn’t deter her.  She closed her eyes and sat back._

_She reached into her chest and pulled out her heart.  She held it out in front of her and saw how red it was and knew that Emma helped her keep it that way.  She pulled back the blanket and stuck her hand in Emma’s chest.  She pulled out Emma’s heart.  She had one in each hand.  She brought her hands together and stared at Emma’s ghostly white face._

_“You aren’t leaving me.  Do you hear me, Sheriff?  You still have a job to do,” Regina told her._

_As the hearts neared each other, they both began to glow red.  A bright white light started pulsing between them.  A ribbon of red magic circled them and mixed with the white light.  Regina leaned back and closed her eyes against brightness._

_“Mom?” Henry asked when the pulsing stopped._

_Regina opened her eyes and looked at the hearts in her hands.  She handed Henry her heart.  He took it begrudgingly, and held it with the utmost gentle hands, cradling it near his chest.  Regina smiled at the gesture._

_She whipped the tears from his eyes and then her own.  She looked down at Emma.  She thrust her heart back in her chest.  They all gave a collective gasp when Regina seated Emma’s heart and there was a gentle pinkish, magical pulse from her body.  Regina leaned over and kissed her lips again.  Regina could feel a slight warmth in her lips._

_“That’s right, Emma.  Fight.  I am not raising our daughter alone.  I need you.”_

Emma’s body arched up off the table.  Emma opened her eyes and stared at the wooden ceiling above her.  She sucked in a breath.  She coughed suddenly and it wracked her body. 

Her eyes suddenly becoming clearer, turned downward to focus on Regina.  When her eyes met those troubled mahogany orbs of Regina, Emma felt a small grin come to her lips.  Regina didn’t move.  She couldn’t.  She was glued to the spot on top of Emma.

“Regina?” Emma groaned out in a hoarse whisper.

“I am here, my love,” Regina told her.

Emma watched as her lover’s eyes filled with tears.  She smiled bigger when she saw Regina’s emotional vein popping in her forehead.  She could feel her strength coming back to her.  Her heart was pounding in her chest, but it wasn’t beating faster than normal.  Regina still didn’t move from her position on top of her.

“How do you feel?” Snow asked.

Emma turned to look at her mother.  Her green eyes meeting her mother’s hazel and holding.  She looked down her own body and realized that her mother was holding her hand.  She could then feel it.  She didn’t know why she hadn’t felt it before, but as soon as she registered that she saw her mother, she felt her.

Because of this revelation, she looked down at her other arm. She saw Henry there staring back at her.  She gave him a smile.

“Ma…”

“I am still here, Henry,” she told him.

Regina chocked on a sob.  She didn’t know what she’d done to bring Emma back, but she knew that she would do it again if needed.  She crossed her arms across her stomach and watched as Emma watched her.  She backed up a little off her hips as Emma sat up.

She immediately took Regina in her arms.  Snow and Henry let her go.  She embraced Regina so tightly, but Regina didn’t complain.  They had each other still.  True Love had again proven life saving for the Charming family.  Regina buried her head in Emma’s neck and shoulder as she wept tears of joy.

Tink subtly got everyone to leave the room.  She could tell that Regina needed the space and time to be alone with Regina.  They would deal with Will and Coraline next, but first they needed to come to grips with what had just happened between them.

“Regina, I’m here.”

“You left me.  You promised that you wouldn’t leave and you left.  I felt you go,” Regina told her, looking into her eyes and trying to make sure that she was her Emma still.

“I know.  I felt you the entire time I was gone.  It was so lonely and dark where I was.  But, you were my light, my love.  I couldn’t see anything.  I couldn’t hear anything.  There was nothing there but my being and the darkness that was surrounding me.”

“Do you think that it was Coraline’s Darkness?” Regina asked, suddenly worried for both her lover and her still injured daughter.

“No, I think it was Rumple’s.”

“Rumple’s?”

“They didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” Regina asked.

“We fought Rumpelstiltskin near the town line.  I don’t remember much of the actual battle between us.  I just remember charging him and knocking him over the line.  I don’t know what happened after that.  All I knew was that dark space where I couldn’t sense anything but you.”

“You went over the line with him?”

“Yes,” Emma answered.

“Is he dead?” Regina asked, scared to hear the answer.

“I don’t know.  You’d have to ask Tink and Red.  They didn’t go over the line.  They couldn’t.  I knew that they couldn’t.  Henry and I are the only ones that can cross without any issues.  I knew that.  That is why I went after him.  I pushed him over.  I took the risk,” Emma explained.

“I know you did.  It would be something that your idiotic Charming genes would make you do.  I don’t think that anyone expected you to be so injured by the attack.  That is the one thing that I can’t figure out, unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless the Dark One’s powers tried to transfer themselves to you.  They don’t exist in this world.  There is no magic beyond the town line.  The powers of the Dark One have always been in our world, in the Enchanted Forest.  The powers have a great knack for surviving.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think that the Dark One’s powers tried to find a new host as he crossed the line.  You were the closet living thing to him as the powers would have been ripped from his body.  He didn’t die physically, Emma.  Rumple died magically,” Regina explained.

“Meaning that it tried to make me the new Dark One?”

“I don’t know.  It might have, but it didn’t take.  It needs a life force to attach to in order to take hold.  You died, Emma.  You left me.”

“So the Dark One’s power couldn’t attach to me?”

“No, it didn’t if that is what happened,” Regina replied.

“And, if it isn’t?”

“Then, Rumpelstiltskin is in your world without magic and the dormant powers of the Dark One.  If that is what happened, then he will be searching for a source of magic.  If he finds one, he will jump start his magic,” Regina told her.

“And, if he does that, he will be a huge terror for this land,” Emma replied.

“That’s the problem.  We don’t know what happened to his powers.  We don’t know if he died after they pulled you back across the line,” Regina stated.

“Why would he die?” Emma asked, confused as to why Regina would say that.

“He is over five hundred years old, Emma.  His body has been magically kept at that age.  He might have aged considerably without the magic to keep his aging process at bay.  Hell, he might have crawled in a hole and died for all we know.”

“I’ll go look for him.”

“The Hell you will.”

“Why not, Regina?  I can cross the town line.  I can stop him.  I have a gun remember.  If he is still alive, I’ll fake a warrant or something to get to him,” Emma told her.

“And, then you’ll do what?  Kill him?  Bring him back here so we can make him pay?  Either option is not acceptable.  You don’t have it in your heart to kill him, so don’t even try to tell me that you could do it.  And, if you brought him back, he would regain his powers.  He would just be really pissed off.  You don’t know him like we do, Emma.  That man is ruthless and vile.  He will stop at nothing to get what he wants.  Hell, you died because he wanted something that he couldn’t have.  And, you know why that pisses him off more than anything?”

“No, why?” Emma asked in response.

“Because he can’t control you.  He never could.  You’ve always stood up to him in a similar manner to way that you’ve always referred to me as Regina.  You’ve never seen me as the Evil Queen, because you didn’t grow up there or with me.  We all have dealings with Rumple whether we wanted to or not.  Those that wanted dealings with him generally paid the price.  Those that didn’t…well…let’s just say that he had ways of convincing you to see things his way, and none of them were pleasant,” Regina stated.

“I don’t care about any of that, Regina.  You know that.  I want my family to be safe.  As long as we don’t know what Rumple’s fate is, we can’t be sure that we are safe.  You’ve said it yourself that his wrath is legendary.  I know that it worse than you ever could think that yours ever was and that alone scares the shit out of me.  We need to make sure that he is dead.”

“How do you plan on doing that?  Hmm?  You just died.  You aren’t fit to do anything.  And, before you start trying to argue any sort of point with me on that matter, I want you to think about our daughter, Coraline.  She was almost destroyed by that damn dragon that Rumple conjured.  It was a magical dragon, Emma.  The Imp conjured a dragon for us to fight.  If that doesn’t even begin to make you understand the depths of magic and depravity that he is willing to use to get what he wants, then I don’t know what will,” Regina told her.

“I think you were trying to give me another point. I know how idiotic the ‘Imp’ can be, Regina.  I’ve seen it with my own eyes.  I know the man, remember?  But, what does any of that have to do with Coraline?” Emma asked her.

“She’s hurt, too.”

“How bad?”

“I don’t know.  She seemed to be conscious when we brought her here, but she has been in and out for the last few hours.  She never got as quiet as you did though.  She seems to be fighting to hold on, but…” Regina started to explain to her.

“But, what, Love?”

“I don’t know if she is going to make it, Dear.  She is really bad off.  That dragon did a lot of damage to her.  I thought that the burn marks on her back that the Black Queen made were bad.  This is worse.  I don’t know what to do for her.  I don’t think that I can help her.  I never learned how to properly heal someone.  I can want it, but I don’t know that is enough.”

“I need to see her,” Emma stated.

“You shouldn’t be moving.”

“I need to see her.  I might be able to help.  I’ve healed before,” Emma said.

“Yes, when you weren’t weak and half dead,” Regina quipped.

“I can do this, Regina.  Take me to her.  Let me try.”

“Blue already has,” Regina countered.

Emma didn’t know why that hit her like a ton of bricks but it did.  It took the fight out of her.  She wondered what sort of dragon Rumple cast that was bad enough to do damage that the fairies couldn’t combat.  It must have been bad.  It had to be worse than Regina was telling her.

“She is going to die?” Emma asked, looking up into Regina’s dark eyes.

“I don’t know.  She is holding on and her wounds are healing to the best that they can.  Will hasn’t left her side.  Wouldn’t even leave to go get the Resurrection Cloak, either.  Instead she sent Snow and Belle to go get them.  It was like she was afraid if she left the room that Coraline would indeed die.  I know how she feels,” Regina told her.

“Regina…”

“No, Emma, don’t try to placate me now.  You died.  You gave up just long enough to leave me.  You would leave me here alone to raise our daughter.  I cannot and will not accept that, in this realm or any other realm.  So, you better find a way to fix that, understood?” Regina asked with every ounce of venom that she could.

Emma could see the Queen in her coming out.  She hadn’t meant to give up, but she had.  She thought that she was doing it for the right reasons.  She would have to deal with that on her own.  She would have to explore why she did it and then hope that she could explain it to Regina without destroying her in the process.  Dying was easy.  Emma knew that.  Living was hard.

Emma lay back down on the makeshift pallet.  She realized that she was on some sort of platform.  It didn’t really matter, but she couldn’t stop taking in everything around her.  She reveled in the smell of Regina, apples and spice.  She breathed in the scent of old wood and the faintest hint of fairy magic and felt grateful that she could actually smell it at all.

She didn’t know what to do in that moment.  Her heart went out to Regina and her daughter Coraline, but she felt the sting of anger and betrayal over Rumple’s mistakes trying to take over her mindset.  She knew that love was the best course for her and she should follow it, but her need to avenge her family and make sure that they were safe was beginning to win the fight.  She didn’t know how long she would be able to abide by Regina’s wants and not go after Rumple.  She knew that living was hard and she so desperately wanted to live and raise their daughter together, but she wanted to make sure that Coraline wouldn’t have to worry about Rumple.

“That is why we have Will, Dear,” Regina stated like she could hear Emma’s thoughts.

Emma turned and looked back into her lover’s eyes.  She knew that she was right.  Will was not going to leave Coraline’s side.  She would protect her no matter the cost and since she couldn’t die…Coraline was going to be protected for a long time.  ;

“Speaking of Will…”

“What?” Regina asked.

“I know that this is probably not the place or time to ask this, but what is she going to do about…well, little Remy in there?” Emma asked pointing at Regina belly.

Regina got off of her.  She hadn’t forgotten about it, but she hadn’t put much thought into it either.  What would Wilhelmina do?  Coraline and Remy were the same person, they were only from two different periods in time, let alone realms.  They were the same daughter of Regina and Emma and Wilhelmina’s True Love. 

“I don’t know.”

“We need to tell her,” Emma stated.

“We can’t.”

“Why not?”

“At least not yet, anyway,” Regina replied.

“Again, why not?”

“We don’t know if Coraline is going to make it,” Regina whispered as the thought crossed her mind and her lips at the same time.

They shared a look.  They hadn’t thought about that.  Somewhere in both of their thinking they believed that somehow they would be able to send Coraline back to the future.  But, now she was hurt and she wasn’t responding to the magical healings the way that Regina wanted.  It was the first time that they actually both entertained the idea that Coraline might have come back to their past to die in order to protect their shared future.  It wasn’t something in realm of possibilities that they ever wanted to consider, but now, faced with the truth of her injuries, they had to.

“What are we going to tell Will?” Emma asked.

“I don’t know.”

“We’ll have to tell her something.  It isn’t like you can keep that a secret forever, Regina.  You are going to start showing some in a few weeks.  And, you won’t be able to hide your symptoms forever.  She’s going to find out.  Will isn’t stupid.  She’ll put two and two together and get it.”

“I know that.”

“Then we should tell her now to minimize the backlash,” Emma stated.

“I’ll tell her alone.”

“Why?”

“Because I owe her that much, Emma.  I know you think you understand our former relationship, but you don’t.  I know you don’t, because I don’t.  I just don’t know what to think right now.”

“We need to see Coraline,” Emma told her, trying to change to the subject.

“I know.”

“She needs us.”

“I know.”

“Will needs us.”

“I know.”

“They all need us,” Emma said.

“They always will, Emma.”

“I know.”

“We know what happens when they don’t,” Regina replied.

“I know.  We have daughter that survived that.  We can’t let that happen.”

“We won’t.”

“I know,” Emma replied.


	45. Chapter 45

The pain was constant and unyielding, but she was awake.  Coraline knew that meant she was alive.  She didn’t know about the rest of the crew that had shown up in the clearing and right now that didn’t really matter.   She wanted her mothers.  She wanted comfort.

She turned.  She saw Will and realized that they were in the cloisters at the Abbey.  It was actually the same room that she had been in when she landed there months ago.  The pain she felt was almost the same and she felt some sort of ironic completion in it.  She couldn’t describe it.

There was a calm to her being in pain.  It reminded her of the dungeon cell.  She knew that she had to be there and that she would find a way to defeat the Black Queen.  She just didn’t realize that it mean that the Black Queen was her own mother.  That slight bit of information derailed her entire mission from destroying the Black Queen to preventing the Black Queen and the Blackness from existing.  She just didn’t know if she had been successful in her endeavors.

She looked at Will again.  There was a fear in her eyes.  She sighed inwardly.  There was no reason for Will to be scared.  She had defeated the dragon.  She remembered that much.  And, she knew that she would get better because she had the Resurrection Blanket on top of her.  She could feel its magic power pouring through her.  So it didn’t stand to her reasoning why the Vulcannonian was sitting beside her afraid. 

She stole a glance around the room.  Her moms weren’t there.  Blue and Tink seemed to be having and argument in the corner.  She couldn’t make out what it was about.  It seemed to be too quiet then.  She saw Snow move to stand with Will.  They spoke to each other and hugged, but still she couldn’t hear it and they were only steps away. 

This thought alone about not being able to hear should have frightened her, but it didn’t.  She chalked it up to the injuries that she had suffered and knew that with time she would alright.  She shifted slightly on the bed.  She felt it creak and saw four pairs of eyes turn to her. 

The deeply wounded sapphire of Wilhelmina broke her heart.  She opened her mouth to tell her that she would be fine, but nothing came out.  No words were said.  She tried to blink in order to make some sort of contact, but nothing worked.  Fear began to form in the back of her head.  She took stock of what she knew at that moment.  She’d defeated the dragon.  She was in the cloisters in her old room from months ago.  Tink and Blue were there.  She was under the Resurrection Blanket.  Snow and Will looked like they were keeping a vigil over her.  Henry, David, Regina and Emma were noticeably missing.  Even Belle and Red weren’t there.  Something was terribly wrong and she couldn’t figure out what it was. 

She tried to move and couldn’t.  Her body was just too heavy and too pain riddled to move.  She tried to shout, but her mouth and lungs would produce no sound.  She tried to alter her breathing hoping that she could do something with that to communicate, but again nothing happened.  She was at a loss.  There was nothing that she could do.  She was at the mercy of the blanket and whatever magic the fairies could give her.  She couldn’t feel her own.

That is why the fear became real.  She could always feel her magic, even when she was little and it was bound.  She knew that she was special.  But, now, she couldn’t.  It was like it had been sapped from her and it was just gone.  She didn’t like the feeling.  She loathed it and then she realized that this is what her mother felt when she left Storybrooke. 

She felt heavy, like she was in water and weighed down.  Her breathing shallowed out and her body screamed out for relief.  She felt herself give in to it all.  She let her body sink into the abyss.  The pain was just too much.  She couldn’t fight off the sleep that her body demanded.  She closed her eyes and fell into the darkness.

 

Will sat beside her.  The tears ever present in her eyes.  She knew that pain Coraline was feeling was great and she was angry with herself that she couldn’t do more.  She refused to leave her side.  When they left the make shift hospital room hours ago, Will was the one who carried her out, bridal style, to this room.  She wouldn’t let anyone else touch her.  She was afraid if they did, it would spoil her somehow.  She was also afraid to leave her side. 

She watched as Tink bathed her wounds and changed the dressings.  The sticky black ooze that flowed from some of the wounds reeked of magic.  She knew that the fairies were doing their best to ease her suffering, but they were all hoping that the blanket would heal her quicker.  But, that was the problem they were facing.  It was healing her, but not as fast as they hoped. 

Will realized then that the magic that Rumple used to conjure that dragon was dark and deadly.  He didn’t really know what he was doing.  She wondered how he faired, but then she hoped that he was dead.  She knew that if she saw him again, that it would be too soon.

“Any change?” Snow asked her.

“No.”

Snow gave her a weak smile.  She remembered days like this when they were both younger.  The wars had been vast and long, but Snow had been untouched by them.  She didn’t know the lengths that her father went through to keep his throne and extend her lands.  But, Snow knew her own horrors of war thanks to Regina’s need for revenge against a child.  They had both learned the tolls that war brought with them, especially when magic was concerned.

Blue had gone to waving a wand over Coraline’s body.  They were pulling the magical toxins from her blood but they had no idea what lasting effects it would have on her.  She still had yet to wake up and tell them what she had seen. 

“Did you slay the dragon?” Snow asked her.

“No, Coraline did.”

“By herself?”

“She is accomplished knight, Snow.  She was trained by the best that survived the Black Curse.  Hell, even Henry taught her to use a bow like you.  She’s as good a shot as you are.  I’ve seen her.  She practices like you do to clear her head,” Will told her.

“She does?”

“She does.  She is as much a Charming and a White as she is a Mills.  She has the Charming hope and strength, the White resilience and leadership, and the Mills magic and fierceness.  She truly is the Swan Princess.  She is her mothers’ daughter.”

“Why hasn’t she woken?”

“I don’t know.  The magic that Rumple used was strong.  The fairies are doing their best.  It will just take time.  I am sure that as soon as Emma and Regina can they will be here to help.”

“And, if they can’t?” Snow asked.

“Don’t ever give up hope, Snow.  Ever.  You can’t and do you know why?”

“No,” Snow replied almost sounding defeated.

“Because you are Snow White, Queen of the Summerlands and you are as much as survivor as your daughter and your granddaughter are.  They will pull through this.  You will see.”

No sooner had Will finished her words then Regina and Emma came into the room.  It had only been a day, but Emma looked brand new.  They both looked ragged.  It had only been at Will’s insistence that they go home to rest.  Charming had taken Henry and Neal with him.  Snow refused to leave, but kept herself busy outside of Coraline’s room for the most part.  She wanted to be near just in case she was needed, no matter the reason.

“How is she?” Emma asked.

Blue and Tink stopped and looked up at the Saviour.  She was ragged, but her eyes burned with a new clarity.  They could see her becoming herself again.  It was the same fierceness that Emma possessed when she realized who she really was after she broke the Curse years ago.  Regina on the other hand looked slightly defeated.  Her eyes were dull and hollow.  The rest she had taken was obviously fitful.  She felt useless as her child, her own blood, laid there next to her hurt.

“She’s responding.  Whatever magic that Rumple used with that dragon, it was dark and deep.  It had crept inside her and is trying to hide.  We’ve pulled a lot out, but there is a lot more.”

“And, the blanket?” Emma asked, trying to process what they were telling her.

“It’s keeping it from her heart,” Tink told her.

Emma looked straight at her at the words.  Green eyes bored into her hazel trying to find some more information from the statement.  Not getting the answer she wanted, she just asked.

“And, what will happen if it reaches her heart?”

“She’ll die,” Tink told her.

Regina sobbed and fell to the floor.  Snow was immediately at her side, helping her back up and whispering words of encouragement into her ears.  This was not how Coraline was to die.

“That is not her fate,” Emma said resolutely. 

“Emma…” Blue started.

“NO!  NO!  I refuse to believe that she came all the way back here in time just to die.  I refuse!  So someone better start looking for some answers.  I will not let her die like this!”

Regina looked at Emma.  She saw the fire burning behind her eyes.  She’d seen it before and it wasn’t going to pleasant if that fire was unleashed.

“We are doing everything that we know,” Tink said.

“Get more fairies then,” Emma demanded.

“Emma…” Blue tried again.

“What?!?” Emma hissed.

“You need more rest.  The Darkness tried to take you.  Some of it…well, is still inside you.”

Emma glared at her.  Snow gasped at the realization of what happened to her eldest child the day before.  Regina reached out for her arm, hoping to anchor Emma’s rage and pull it into herself.

“You don’t know what you are talking about,” Emma stated.

“I can still see it around you, Emma.”

“Emma…” Regina started, pulling slightly on her hand.

Emma turned to face her.  Regina wavered for a moment and then found herself.  She dug deep into the Evil Queen.  She needed her to face Emma right now.  They both needed that darkness in order to help their daughter.

“Let them work, Emma,” she commanded.

Snow backed up and away at the sound of her voice.  Will stood up and took notice.  Tink grinned and Blue went back to work.  Emma was the only one that didn’t seem to be affected by it at all. 

“I…”

“I know, Dear.  The Blue bug and the Sprite are doing what they can.  Wilhelmina is guarding her body.  She isn’t going to let anything happen to her.  We need to go find Red and the Bookworm.  They may have more information on how to help her.”

“We can’t just leave her like this!”

“We aren’t.  We are fighting.  That is what we do.  We fight.  Snow, please keep in touch with the family.  We might have to leave the area for a while.  You are to be the point of contact until further notice.  I am leaving you in charge,” Regina told her.

Snow could see the fury in her eyes.  She knew that whatever Regina was about to do with Emma was going to be huge, but it would necessary.  She also understood what it meant to leave Snow in charge of the town and the family.  She knew what it took for Regina to ask her that.  She nodded in affirmation and took a seat near Coraline.

Before Emma could disagree, Regina pulled her out the room.  She would have magicked them back to town, away from the Abbey, if she had only known where Red was at the moment.  In the end, she poofed them to the well.  She knew that Emma would need to see it for herself.

When Emma realized what Regina had done, they were already in the woods near the well.  She looked up and saw Red pacing beside it.  She wasn’t in human form and that told Emma enough.  If she was in Wolf form, there was something that was agitating her into it.

“What can you tell me, Wolf pup?” Regina asked her.

Red nosed her hand.  Regina buried that hand into Red’s fur and let her pull her along.  Emma followed them, suddenly upset that she didn’t have a weapon of some sort to defend them with.  They neared the well.  They could smell the magic and Emma had to admit that is smelled dark.

She couldn’t explain it, but she knew that wasn’t good.  She took Red’s appearance and Regina’s wariness and it put her further on edge.  She felt the darkness creeping in and taking over.  She needed an outlet and Regina could tell.  She was tugged further up to the well.

Regina conjured a bucket and wheel.  She dropped the bucket into the well and drew it back up full of water.  Red inched forward and sniffed it.  She didn’t give Regina any negative indication that Emma could see and before she could stop Regina, she had ladled herself some to drink.  When nothing happened, Emma just continued to watch her with rapt attention.

“The water won’t hurt you, Dear,” Regina told her.

“I am not so sure of that,” Emma replied.

“Do you think that I am that daft?  I wouldn’t have drunk any if it were harmful.  There are no spells in it.  The water is clean.  This water is also not from Storybrooke.”

“The lake was dry,” Emma stated.

“It was.  It seems that Rumple might have actually created some good from his spell.  It seems that the lake was reborn.  The water has restorative properties, Emma.  Drink some,” Regina urged her handing her the full ladle.

“Coraline needs this. I don’t.  Why don’t you take it to her?”

“I will, but you first.”

Emma didn’t know if she could trust her in that moment and she didn’t know why.  So much had changed in her heart and head the moment she crossed…the line, both the town line and line between reality and the abyss…that she couldn’t reason correctly and she knew it.  She wanted to snatch the ladle from her and drink her fill, but there was something nagging her about it.  Then she realized that the darkness of the abyss was still in her. Rumple hadn’t completely failed.  She had poisoned both her and her daughter.

“Will it stop the rage growing inside me?” Emma asked as she fell to her knees.

“It will if you let it, Emma.  Let your rage go.  It will only destroy you.”

She stood up, unsteadily.  Her brain was still reeling and trying to process the information that she had quickly received back at the abbey.  Emma took a step back.  She stared into the dark eyes of her lover and wondered if this was some trick.  As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she wondered if she was still asleep.  She wasn’t sure if she had actually escaped the abyss that the darkness had thrown her in. 

“Emma?” Regina asked, still standing before her holding the ladle.

She turned back to Red and met her yellow eyes.  She saw the compassion and the fear that the Wolf had for her at the moment.  Her mind wanted to desperately believe what they were telling her, but the darkness still lingered.  She shook her head, trying to dislodge the thoughts and fell back to her knees.

Regina dropped the ladle and was at her side before she hit the ground.  She held her as they were both kneeling beside the stone well.  She gathered Emma into her arms.  She pulled her blond head into the crook of her neck and held her there.  She felt Emma sob.  She tried to soothe her, but she didn’t know what was really wrong with Emma.

“Emma?  Love?  Can you tell me what’s wrong?” Regina asked as she gave Red a look.

Before Emma answered, Red came closer and curled up next to them.  She was taking a defensive position.  Once she was hunkered down near them, she laid her head on Emma’s leg.  It was to show Emma that she was there for them and that Emma could break down.

“I couldn’t fight it…”

“You did, Dear.  You beat the darkness.  You didn’t give in,” Regina told her.

“But, I did.  I did just long enough to give up.  That was all it needed.  I failed you.”

“No, you didn’t, Emma.  You fought for so long.  You opted for death when you knew what the darkness wanted.  I don’t think that I could do that.”

“But, you were angry with me…”

“Because you left.  I wasn’t mad because of why you left, Emma.  I was mad because you did and I was going to be alone.  We are each other’s happy ending.  Coraline is our proof of that.  I need you to be here with me.  I don’t want to raise her alone.  I want you to be there for us.  I don’t want you to die.  I don’t want you to become the Dark One and I will fight for you.  Can you fight for yourself?” Regina asked her.

“I don’t know.”

“Can you fight for me, then?” Regina questioned, knowing that Emma’s self-worth was still low.

“I will always fight for you,” Emma declared.

“Then drink,” Regina commanded, handing her the conjured ladle.

Emma took the ladle and drank.  She emptied it and handed it back to Regina.  She swallowed the cold water and felt it coating her insides.  Then there was an odd sensation.  It was like a light came on inside her and started to radiate outwards.  She felt warm and free. 

“Gina?”

“Yes, my Love?”

“We need to take some of this to Coraline.  It will help her, right?  I mean, it will help expel the darkness in her, right?” Emma asked sounding more like a wounded child than the Saviour.

“It won’t hurt to try, Emma.  We’ll take some back and I’ll send Red back with some for Coraline.  First, we are going to home and you are going to rest.”

“But, Coraline…”

“Is in the best hands that she can be at the moment.  She needs both of us, Emma and she needs us to be well.  You aren’t well and I’m extremely tired.  We both need rest.”

“Red, you’ll watch over her until we get back?” Emma asked the Wolf.

She nodded and nipped lightly at Emma’s pant leg.  Emma knew what she meant.  Their eyes met again and they shared a silent conversation.  Red got up off her haunches moments later and took off back towards the Abbey, leaving Emma and Regina by the well.

“What about the water?” Emma asked her.

“She has it, trust me on that,” Regina told her.

“Where?”

“You’ll have to ask Ruby next time you see her.  That Wolf is amazing, but she has the right to some secrets too, Emma.  Now, close your eyes and drink.  When you wake, we’ll be at home.”

Emma did as she bade.  The want to fight had subsided, but the quiet rage was still burning.  She hoped that the rest and relaxation that Regina was demanding that she take helped.  She didn’t like the feelings that were possessing her and she knew that Regina would do everything in her power to keep from going dark.  Emma could only wonder if it would be enough.  She loved Regina and she didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that.  Her family was her life and like she thought while was she was the dark reaches of that abyss, she would give up life to protect them, even if it was from herself.

She allowed Regina to put her to bed once they appeared in Regina’s room.  She didn’t fight her as she removed her boots, jacket and jeans.  She settled relatively quickly on the bed and found that sleep wasn’t far behind.  She smiled up at Regina, who kissed her sweetly, like one would kiss a child goodnight, and allowed slumber to overtake her.

Once she was asleep, Regina went down to her study.  She was curious and afraid.  Emma had fought off the darkness of the Dark One, but was it the same as the Blackness that encompassed the future for Coraline.  She needed to study.  She needed to figure out how to help Emma control the darkness that possessed her. 

The darkness had consumed her mind and soul for hours, feeding on her light until it was gone, too.  But, it was Regina’s love that gave Emma’s light a new spark, a renewed passion, and a vigorous return to life.  There was nothing else that Regina could have done in that moment but love her.  The joining of their hearts kick started Emma’s and forced the Saviour to admit her weakness to the Queen.  It was that moment that made Regina love her more.  True, she had been hurt by Emma’s free choice to die to protect her and Coraline, but she knew that Emma had a hero complex.  She couldn’t help it.  She was a Charming after all.

“She asleep?” Belle asked, slowly walking into the study.

“She is.”

“You’ll have to watch her.”

“I know.”

“You’ll have to love her now, more than ever.”

“I do.”

“I am serious, Regina.  You’ll have to pull down all your walls around her and let her into deep recesses of your heart.  You can never let her go.  Your hearts are joined.  You are one love.  And, it is that love that will save her from the curse that Rumple tried to give her.”

“So he did curse her?” Regina asked, watching the librarian as she sat down.

“He didn’t directly, no.  It was the Curse of the Dark One.  It tried to possess her, but her light was too strong.  Her love for you and her family is too great.  But, in the end, the body and the mind can only battle for so long.  Her mind was vigilant, but her body could no longer fight the strength that such darkness possesses.  She had a choice and it is a choice that no many can make.  She is the first in a long line of successors to have defied the powers life,” Belle said.

“How?”

“She didn’t give in to it.  She chose death rather than give in to the rage and fury.  She knew that the warmth you were giving her would fade if she accepted the darkness and took with it its power.  The only option she saw in the moment was sacrifice and the purest form of sacrifice.  It was the Sacrifice of Self,” Belle told her.

“So giving her life force up, destroyed the Dark One?” Regina asked.

“No, that power cannot be destroyed.  There will always be evil in the world, but it won’t be Emma.  She is flawed and misguided, but she is pure in the ways of light and dark.  She banished the darkness to an abyss that only she knows.  It is no longer with us.  We have tried summoning it and will not come.”

“So Rumple?”

“Doesn’t matter anymore.  He has no power and he cannot regain it.  Whether he is here or out there on his own, he is a coward and his fate is his own making.  The dagger had no power any more.  So even if he were to come back to Storybrooke, by some crazy magical miracle for himself, the dagger couldn’t help him.  It is just an ugly knife now.”

“There is no name on it?” Regina asked her.

Belle dropped the black handled dagger on her desk.  Regina tentatively picked it up and turned it over and over.  There was no name etched into the blade.  It was remarkably blank except for the filigree carvings that had always been there.  It was just another blade.  Regina dropped it back onto her desk.

“He is gone?”

“There is no trace of him.  But, what I am about to say will anger you, but trust me when I say it was the only way the time that we could make sure.  He suggested it…”

“He who?” Regina asked, suddenly very on edge with the Bookworm.

“Henry.”

“What about Henry?” Regina questioned, her ire rising.

“He crossed the town line to…”

“He what?!?!?” Regina shouted, standing from her desk and rounding it as Belle stood, taking a few steps away from the advancing Queen.

“He’s fine, Regina.  He was never out of my eyesight.  I would have willingly crossed if need be to help him, but I didn’t.  He searched the immediate area and came back home.  He needed to see for himself what his Grandfather almost accomplished.  He saw the scorch marks from their dueling magic.  He saw the blood on the pavement.  He saw the tuffs of fur from Red that had been singed off due to the town line.  He needed to see it.”

“Why?” Regina asked her.

“So he could help.  He has no magic.  He isn’t a knight, but he is still a member of this family.  And, unfortunately like all the Charmings, he is willing to die to protect his family.  He knew that you wouldn’t leave Emma’s side while she was fighting.  He knew that Will wouldn’t leave Coraline’s.  He also knew that Red would go on patrol.  David would make sure that the town was safe and the dwarves would help him.  He knew that I would start researching the magics needed to make sure that everyone was okay and try to find any information on the Dark One’s Curse.  He also knew that no matter what history you shared with Snow and however she felt about you being with Emma that she wasn’t going to abandon either of you when you needed her the most.  She has been running the town, in your stead, for the last few days.  Everyone came together in order to fight and defend the town using their talents to the best of their abilities, but Henry is the author without a pen.”

“That was his choice.  He knew that having that pen carried a lot of responsibilities and he didn’t want to have the capability to ruin someone because he could control their will.  I applauded him for that,” Regina replied.

“He knows that.  But because he couldn’t simply just write Coraline and Emma better, he feels somewhat responsible for their state.  He needed to know that it wasn’t his fault.  I know that you’ve told him as much and so has Snow.  But, he needed to do something and crossing the line was the only thing that he could think of.”

“He couldn’t have gotten hurt.  What if Rumple had done something?  We wouldn’t have been able to do anything.  Doesn’t he understand the risk he took in doing that?” Regina asked.

“He did.  That is why he did it.  But, now we know that Rumple has hovelled off somewhere.  He truly has no power.  He is just a man with no past, no power, and no help.  He will either learn to survive out there or he will succumb.”

“You’re sure?” Regina questioned.

“Ask your son, he called the Dark One and no one came.  The Dark One is no longer in our realm, Regina.  The darkness did touch Emma.  It was enough to affect her, but not enough to claim her.  Her emotions will be everywhere and she won’t know how to deal with the rage and fury.  She needs you and your love.  She needs to know that you aren’t going to abandon her.  She needs to know that you don’t fear her because of what she has done.  Because if you can’t do those things, she really will be lost to us.  The darkness will find root and it will manifest and grow.  The only problem with that is that it will consume her whole.  She won’t be able to fight it because she won’t have the will to do so. She will succumb and she will die,” Belle explained.

“Then, I guess I will have to make sure that she knows that she isn’t alone and that she will always have my love.  I will not lose her, Belle.  I will not let her become what I was.”

“Then, love her, Regina.  Love her the only way that you can.  Completely,” Belle told her.

Regina stared into her blue eyes and watched them dance.  She knew what Belle was telling her.  Emma’s innocence maybe lost, but her purity wasn’t.  She needed the balance that Regina gave her.  They were like yin and yang, Emma the light to Regina’s darkness, but their balance worked.  They were stronger together and everyone could see it.  Emma needed her, now, like she had needed her before.  The give and take would never end, and neither would her love.

Regina showed Belle out.  She knew that the librarian would keep her informed and if she didn’t, then Red would.  They were the royal houses of the Enchanted Forest and they were the still leading even in Storybrooke.  Someone would eventually step forward and let them know what was going on in the town.  The main part of the town still looked to them for advice and they didn’t have a problem with them being the mayor and sheriff.  They were protected and cared for.  Regina had made sure that the town would prosper and thrive as long as they worked together.  Her magic gave them a home and jobs, but it was up to the town folk to thrive.  She wasn’t surprised to see that they had.  And, now, during their time of need, the town had stepped up and was protecting itself.  It continued to thrive even in the face of annihilation and magical destruction.  The town never gave up.  And, she knew that she couldn’t either.

She slowly made her way up the stairs to her bedroom.  She hoped that Emma was still asleep.  She hadn’t been gone long, but she wondered if it had been long enough for Emma to realize.  She, herself, had been sleeping fitfully for the last few days and not having Emma beside her wasn’t an option.  She’d slept in that chair touching the Saviour because she had to.  Her love wouldn’t let her leave and her heart needed the connection.

“Regina?” Emma asked groggily as she rolled over in the bed at the sound of door opening.

“Yes, Dear,” Regina answered as she crossed the room towards the bed.

“Come lay with me?” Emma begged.

“Of course, Dear,” Regina stated.

She quickly changed out of her normal dress pants and silk shirt before she climbed in bed with Emma.  When she got in and settled, Emma rolled over into her warmth and snuggled.  It wasn’t their normal position, but Regina didn’t mind.  She knew that Emma needed her.  She circled her arm around Emma’s body and held her close.  It didn’t long before her breathing evened out and she could hear a slight snore from her.  Regina smiled down into Emma’s blond hair.

“Sleep well, Emma.  I’ve got you.  And, as much as it pains me to say it, your mother has the town and our family protected.  We’ll be alright.  Everything will be alright,” Regina whispered into Emma’s hair and gave her another good squeeze.

Later in the afternoon, Regina woke up to a cold bed.  Emma had gotten up and not woken her.  Normally that wouldn’t bother her, but with everything that had happened in the past few days, it gave her a little start.  She got out of the bed and grabbed her grey silk robe.  She wrapped herself up in it and made her way downstairs.  As soon as she reached the bottom of the stairway, she smelled the coffee that Emma must have made.  She stopped just outside the kitchen when she heard David talking with her.

“I know, Dad,” Emma said.

“Do you, Emma?”

“I do.  I love her more than anything.  I am willing to do anything for her.”

“Then, why do you need my help?”

“Well, you and Mom are known for your romantic sides,” Emma started.

“Yes?” David asked, not sure where his daughter was going with the conversation.

“I need some help.  I screwed up.  I mean, I really screwed up, Dad.  I broke a promise that I made to her and I don’t know how to fix it.  I don’t know that I can.”

“What was your promise?” David asked wondering how bad it could have really been.

“I promised that I wouldn’t ever leave her or Henry.  I did, Dad.  I died.  I gave up.”

“Did you give up, Emma or did you sacrifice yourself?” David asked her.

“I…I…I let go in order to protect her,” Emma stammered.

“Then you didn’t leave her.  You both share True Love.  Your hearts are connected.  I mean it isn’t like your mother and I where we share a heart, but it is close enough.  Have you talked to her about it?”

“We did, but we decided that we both needed rest before we finished it.  I was so tired and I felt broken inside.  I wasn’t completely healed when I woke up.  Regina knew it.  She…”

“She?”

“Held me,” Emma replied defeated.

“You don’t always have to be so strong, Emma.  I know that you and Regina don’t have a conventional relationship, but it works for you.  It is the give and take that makes it work.  You can be weak and let her be strong.  I know when I felt my worst it was your mother that made me feel better.  She’s never let me down.  We hold each other up.  That is what love does.”

“I do love her.”

“I know, Emma.  I’ve seen it.  Anyone can see it in how you look at her.”

“I just want my family to be safe, Dad,” Emma stated.

“That is all anyone wants.”

“I love her so much, Dad.”

“Then tell her.”

“I have, but I want to do more,” Emma stated.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know.  I…I have an idea, but I am not sure that she’ll agree.  You might know her mindset on the subject better than I do.  But, then again, I might need to talk to Mom.  I am not sure that it would be an easy conversation, though,” Emma told him.

“You won’t know until you try,” David mused.

“I don’t think she is ready.  I don’t know if I am ready.  I know that we do it.  Coraline has told me as much, but I don’t know how we go about it,” Emma started.

“Whoa there, Emma.  I don’t want to know about your sex life with Regina.  You’re my daughter and there are some things that I don’t need to know about your life.  You love her and you have a child with her.  That is all I need to know that makes you happy,” David told her.

Regina gasped.  She knew what Emma was hinting at when he idiotic father didn’t catch on.  She wanted to marry Emma.  She did.  They loved each other and they were good team.  She just didn’t think that Emma needed that to prove her love.  Regina would have been alright without it, but it seemed that Emma was a little more traditional than she thought. 

She rubbed her belly absentmindedly.  Regina knew that marrying Emma would make Coraline, or Remy, legitimate in the eyes of the Laws of Succession should they end up back in the Enchanted Forest.  She smiled.  She knew that Emma was worried about her and what she thought simply because of her marriage to Leopold and the aftermath of it.  She had to admit to herself that made her wary of marriage, but marrying Emma wouldn’t be like that.  She knew that.  She loves Emma, so their marriage would be entirely different.

Regina stomped her feet a little to let them know that she was awake and nearby.  She heard David clear his voice and Emma went completely quiet.  She walked into the kitchen.  She got herself a mug of coffee and went to stand beside Emma.

“Feeling better, Emma?” Regina asked.

“Yes, thank you, but now, I want to go see Coraline,” she told her.

“Yes, Dear.  We’ll go relieve your mother.  I am sure that she needs to eat.”

“I’ll see you both there,” David told them and he took his leave.

Regina wanted until she heard the front door close before she said anything else to Emma.  By then, Emma had David’s cup in the sink and was rinsing it out before she put it in the dishwasher.  Regina stepped up behind her and wrapped her arms around her.  She rubbed her nose in the crook of Emma’s neck, nuzzling her.

“Regina?”

“Yes, my Love?” Regina asked.

“I love you so much,” Emma told her.

Regina leaned forward.  She knew that Emma was a bundle of nerves at that moment.  She took pity on her.  She kissed her just beneath her ear, then licked her earlobe, knowing what it would do to Emma.  Of course, Emma spun around in her arms and looked down at Regina.

“The answer is yes, Dear,” Regina told her.

“To what question?” Emma asked her confused.

“To the question that you are afraid to ask me.”

“Really?  You want to…but I just thought…Really?  Oh my God, I have to tell someone.  Really?  You want to be my wife?  That is amazing.  You’re amazing,” Emma stated.

“I think you should tell Henry first,” Regina told her with a smirk.

“You mean I should ask him first,” Emma replied.

“Why would you need to ask him about marrying me, Love?”

“Because he would be the one to give you away,” Emma said.

“Then, you’d better ask Wilhelmina, too,” Regina added with a cocked eyebrow.

“Oh, shit…”


	46. Chapter 46

Coraline fought her way through the darkness and towards the light.  She couldn’t sleep anymore.  She would wake, but the pain would be excruciating.  She would go back to sleep.

She lay in the bed.  Her body was racked with pain.  She couldn’t remember how she got to where she was and she didn’t really know where that was at the moment.  Coraline tried to opener eyes, but couldn’t.  There was a blinding light behind her eyes and she knew it wasn’t in the room. 

“Don’t fight the light, little one,” a voice told her.

Coraline didn’t move.  She tried to open her eyes again.  She couldn’t, but suddenly she felt at peace.  It was overcoming and sudden but she wasn’t scared by it.  She let it embrace her completely.  She felt bathed by the light. 

“Remy, you can help them all,” the voice told her.

_“How?”_

“Neal is the key.”

_“Neal?  My uncle?  How is he the key?”_

“He is another child of True Love.  His destiny was cut short.  He is the key that keeps the kingdoms together.  He is the binding child for the family.”

_“He is only a few years older than me, but Henry is the heir to both thrones.”_

“He is, but he is so much more.  Emma is our Saviour.  You are the Survivor.  Henry is the Truest Believer and the newest Author.  But, Neal was to be Ambassador of the Kingdoms.  He was going to be the Great Uniter.  He can’t do that though.  He will try but he can’t.  He can’t be something without his entire being.”

_“His entire being?” she asked the voice._

“Think about that, Remy.  You are the Survivor.  You can survive this.  Neal will not.”

_“I don’t understand,” Coraline stated._

“It will all make sense when you figure it out.  You have the magic and the ability.  The pain of Neal’s death will cause a dark cloud to cover the family, but that pain you can stop.  You are the only can.  You have the unique ability to help everyone.  Can you do that?”

_“I will do what I can.  I love them.  I will do whatever I have to in order to keep my family.”_

“Then you will.  Find the answer and you will save them.  I have the faith you can do this.”

_“Who are you?”_

“I am the Light you make born from the Children of Love.  I am a friend of the House of Swan and the House of Lucas.  I am an Elite Knight of the Realm and a Protector of the family.  I am known as the Swan Wolf.  That is all I can tell you,” the voice said.

Coraline tried to say something.  She felt herself waking, but there was more that she wanted to ask the voice, this Swan Wolf.  She was tried to move around and open her eyes so could figure out what was going around her.  She wanted to see if something had happened while she was healing.  She feared that the time travel spell had enacted itself and she found herself flung into an unknown future.  But, that didn’t make sense.  The voice said that it was from the future. 

She groaned as reality started to sink in.  She felt the warmth of magic passing over her.  She could hear muffled sounds, but they weren’t in her room.  She couldn’t make out who they were, but she knew that they were important and friends.  She no longer feared where she was or her state.  She knew that she was in good hands and healing.

“Don’t try to move.  I am still trying to heal you.  Just keep your eyes closed and everything will be okay,” she heard her mother’s voice breaking through the fog.

“Kay,” she replied.

She could feel Regina next to her then.  Her senses picked up and she could hear the gentle movements of her beside the bed.  She couldn’t really make out where in the room she was in, but she relaxed knowing that Regina was there with her.  There was just something about the fact that her mother was beside her that kept her calmer than she should be.  It was her mother’s love.

“I still don’t understand why you did that.  You had to know what it would do to your body.  Never mind, don’t try to explain it to me right now.  You have to be smarter than that.  I know that you are. You’ve proven it to me, time and time again.  I just don’t understand why you would do this,” Regina chided her, but not fully.

Coraline didn’t want to be idle.  She wanted to tell Regina how she was trying to get rid of the dragon with her not-fully-trained magic.  How was she supposed to know that it would burn her as badly as it did?  She wondered how they were explaining her wounds to anyone else that was taking care of her now.

“Had to…”

“Be quiet, please.”

She could feel a new presence in the room.  It was cheerful and it seemed colorful.  She was trying to rifle through her muddled brain to figure out who it was.  She didn’t have a clue, but she didn’t have to wait too much longer because Regina addressed the other person.

“Blue?”

“She doing any better?”

“Some.  She has regained consciousness, but I told her not to talk.  She needs to preserve her strength.  With wounds like these, it will take some time and much healing to get better.”

“Don’t you think that we should let the others know what happened?”

“Do you want to start a panic?”

“I mean don’t you think that we should tell Snow at least,” Blue stated.

“She doesn’t need to be bothered with this.”

“Don’t you think that she would like to know?”

“Know what?  What do you know about my daughter that I don’t?  Why do we need to bring her into this?  I am taking care of Coraline.  I am going to make sure that she is okay,” Regina answered.

“I understand that, but I think that Snow should be told as well,” Blue replied dodging the question.

“Grams...” Coraline whispered.

“Not now, Coraline,” Regina told her taking her hand.

“But, I tried for Neal.  It was to protect Neal.  I have to save him, Mom.”

Regina looked down at her daughter.  She knew that she was babbling, but it didn’t make any sense.  Why would she have to fight the dragon and almost die to save Neal?  What was it about that dragon that was damn important?  It was magical and it was dead. What use was it to them now?  She shook her head just believing that Coraline was rambling due to the amount of pain that she was in.  And, due to her pain, Regina was really beginning to wonder what good that Resurrection Blanket or cloak really was.  It wasn’t helping Coraline as much as she believed that it should.  She wasn’t healing like Emma had. 

“Shhh, baby girl.  We will save him.  Blue and I will protect him.  You’ll see.  You’ll uncle will make it.  Just rest now, Darling.  I’ll get your Ma, okay?” Regina told her holding on to the one thing she understood from Coraline’s brief ramblings.

“’Kay,” was all she managed to say before she passed out from the pain again.

“Does Emma know?”

“About Neal?”

“Yes,” Blue stated.

“Yes, she does.”

“And, Snow?”

“Not yet.”

“I’ll keep my word for now.  I’ll send Nova for Emma.  You stay with her for now.  When Emma gets here, come find me in the garden.  I believe that there is much for us to discuss.”

Regina nodded to the fairy as she left the cloistered room.  She looked around the wood paneled walls.  She grabbed Coraline’s hand and held it.  She willed healing into her. 

After a few minutes, she leaned back in the chair that Blue had provided in the room for her.  She knew that Emma would come back in to see what Coraline’s condition, but that she had been going over the line with Henry for hours on end in searching for Rumple’s body.  Ruby and David had taken to patrolling.  This left Regina and Snow in charge of carrying for the town and getting information around.  It was a task that Regina let her step-daughter do willingly.  It wasn’t a time to fight over who was “Queen” or “Mayor.”  It was a time for healing amongst them all.  Regina also could not be moved to leave Coraline’s side. 

Will on the other hand was another story all together.  She came and went without telling anyone anything.  Occasionally she would say something to Regina, but no one else in the room could understand her.  She had gone out with Emma and Henry, but when she went out, she didn’t come back for days.  When she did come back, she was haggard and ragged.  She would apologize to Regina and then follow Snow around waiting for orders.  It had become obvious in the aftermath of the unknown that Will simply didn’t know what to do or who to follow.

While Regina was worried about the mental health of her Vulcannonian, she didn’t do anything to stop her erratic behavior.  She merely saw it as an outlet for the woman to express herself.  She was only worried about Rumple because they still hadn’t found a body, but she knew that he no longer possessed the Dark One’s abilities.  Will had given her the dagger in the end and it was blank.  She would keep it, just in case.  She would plunge it into the Imp’s chest if she ever saw him again.  Will, Emma, Red, and Regina all understood that by him falling over the line he been banished.  There was only the worry that someone would let him back in. 

Red came in as the wolf and lay by Regina.  She leaned her furry head against the Queen’s leg and whimpered quietly.  Regina ran a hand through her hair and scratched lightly behind her ears.  It was a simple sign of affection between the two sisters, but it said a lot.  Red still needed approval for her Wolf side.  She knew that Regina loved her based upon what she had done for her back in the Enchanted Forest, but to know that her sister still protected her even when she was grieving was enough.  Red would be okay and she would be welcome in Regina’s world.

Tink came in shortly after to change some of the bandages.  The fairies couldn’t figure out why Coraline wasn’t healing quickly.  It was odd as well that as soon as some wounds did heal, others would appear.  Scars would reopen and close in hours.  There was no rhyme or reason to the anguish that Coraline was suffering.  But, every afternoon after spending hours in the library reading books on magic and cross-referencing what she’d already found, Tink would come to Coraline’s room with a new theory.  It was endearing how hard the fairy was working for her and Regina gave her an emotional smile every day.  She hadn’t lost hope yet and that was fostering Regina’s every day while Emma was out on her crusade.

“Any change?”

“The scars have stopped opening,” Regina told her.

“How much magic have you used today?” Tink asked, noticing the paleness in Regina’s pallor.

“No more than yesterday,” Regina answered as she held Coraline’s hand tighter.

“You need to rest,” Tink told her.

“She woke up briefly.”

“Yeah?”

“She was talking about Neal.  She said she knew how to protect him.  She seemed delirious.  Blue wants to tell Snow.  I am not sure that I can do that to her.  Coraline is blaming herself now for his death.  She mumbled something about killing the dragon would save him, but she couldn’t tell me how,” Regina explained.

“I don’t understand, Regina.  If she needed to save something from the dragon, she would have.  But, we have searched the woods, there is nothing there.”

“I know.  Did you bring more water from the Well?  That seems to be working quicker than the blanket against whatever is ailing her,” Regina stated.

“Yes, I did.  Regina, do you think that something happened that we didn’t see?  Do you think that Blue and I missed pulling out all the darkness that tried to take her?” Tink questioned.

“I don’t know and that scares me more than anything,” Regina said honestly.

Red perked up at this statement.  She raised her head to lay it on Regina’s knee.  Her keen yellow eyes staring up into the painful and wounded looking brown eyes of her sister.  The older woman looked down at her, giving her a watery smile, and petted her head and neck again.  This time Regina buried her right hand in Red’s fur and pulled slightly.  Red didn’t yelp at the pain.  She understood that her sister needed this.  She needed to be able to control something while her world was spinning out of control. 

Regina looked over at Tink as she was waving her wand over Coraline’s body.  Darkness still flowed from her body, but now it was gray and smoky.  Regina was glad for the lessening in the intensity of it.  She was afraid that Coraline might succumb like Emma had in the end.  Both of their light magic fought the darkness of the Dark One.  But they were both injured and mentally defeated.  Regina squeezed her hand and gave it a kiss.

“She’ll wake up fully soon, Regina.”

“I know.”

“You need to keep the faith in that, Regina.  Don’t give up on her.  She didn’t give up on you.”

“What do you mean?” Regina asked meeting the hazel eyes of the fairy.

“The burns on her back, Regina.  We both know what caused those.  And, don’t try to convince me they were from the dragon.  When she told Blue how you and Emma died, it didn’t take a leap to understand that the Black Queen was you.”

“How did you…”

“Don’t worry.  She wanted to find her mother because she loved her.  She wanted to save her from the Black Queen.  She never gave up believing that you were still alive because Red there never gave her a body.  I could read between the lines of the story that she was weaving for Blue.  She left out certain things because she thought she needed to, but anyone that has spent any length of time with you and Emma could tell.  She hid the fact that Emma was her other mother for months from her, but she told you in a matter of weeks.

“Regina, don’t lose heart.  Your daughter risked everything to come back and save you both.  She did that because of who you became, not what you were.  That alone should make you proud.  She was trying to defend you,” Tink explained.

“But, she had to come back in the first place.  I let my anger rule my heart again.  I became worse than the Evil Queen, Tink.  I became the Black Queen.”

“No, you didn’t.  The Darkness over took you while you were mourning Emma’s death.  There is nothing that could have prepared you for that.  Even knowing that you both have a life together, a family, you would still go out to face whatever foe took her from you fireballs blazing and there is nothing that you can say that would convince me otherwise.”

Regina smirked.  She probably would.  She wasn’t known for her diplomacy when she was hurt and in pain.  She had scorched the earth for little less than someone not telling her where Snow was.  The pain of Emma’s death would rock her to the core and Coraline had seen it, but she didn’t understand.  She hadn’t yet for the sting of love and loss at such a tender age, but that one act would teach her all she ever needed to know.  Regina’s smile fell.

“I won’t let you grow up not knowing how beautiful love is, little one,” Regina told her sleeping daughter, squeezing Coraline’s hand with one hand and rubbing her stomach with the other.

Tink smiled at her.  She knew that Regina was scared of the future.  She always had been.  It is why she ran away from Robin.  It is why she hid her love for Emma for years.  Regina didn’t trust her heart because she’d never had a reason, too…until Coraline came bursting into her life.

“She gave me the strength to love, Tink,” Regina told her.

“Then give her the strength back.  She needs her mothers.  She needs your faith that she is going to survive and that she is going to defeat the Blackness and save you.”

“She’s already saved me,” Regina told her as she leaned over and kissed Coraline’s forehead.

“Blue went to get Snow.”

“I know,” Regina replied.

“Are you going to tell her?”

“I owe her.  I think if it comes from me she might not go into denial about it.  But, she is a Charming.  She has faith.  Coraline has been working in secret with Belle on it.  Oh, don’t look at me like that.  She trusts the Bookworm more than she trusts me.  But, I understand.  I wasn’t there for her and Belle was.”

“Well, I’ll go.  I’ll be back later.  I’ll make sure that I bring Emma and Henry back with some food.  You all need to eat.  I understand you are all worried, but running yourself into the ground isn’t going to help anyone,” Tink warned her.

“See if you can find Will, too.  I need to speak with her.  There are things that we both need to understand.  Her avoiding me because she thinks that she’s failed me in some here isn’t going to help us.  I need her to rein it in.  I need her to be the Vulcannonian that she is,” Regina told her.

Tink came back a few hours later with Will, Emma, Snow, and Henry in tow.  Henry was carrying take out from Granny’s.  Red popped her head up from where she had been laying to look at them as smelled the food.  Regina reached down and petted her between the ears.

“Go see Granny and Belle.  I’ll be fine for tonight.  I love you, sister,” Regina told her as Red nuzzled her hand.

Red stood up and shook out the creaks and cramps from being curled up for so long.  She trotted over to Emma and leaned against her legs essentially giving her a hug.  Emma gave her a brief smile as she looked down at the Wolf.  She patted her head and Red left hoping that their pain would be over soon.  Rumple may not have killed them, but he still wounded them all deeply.

Regina stood.  She met Emma’s eyes and Emma sat down in her old chair.  Emma began the vigil over their daughter while Regina took a break.  She met her sad green eyes and knew that Emma was no closer to finding Rumple than she was yesterday.  She could only hope that Emma would give up the search and take care of her family.  They needed her now.  They could prepare for the day that Rumple came back, if he ever did.

Regina walked over to where Snow was.  She grabbed their meals and motioned with her head for the other woman to follow her.  As they walked down the hall, Regina found an empty cloister apartment and entered it.  She pulled the chair and table over near the bed.  She set the food containers down and sat down on the bed.  Snow followed her perplexed, but curious as to what Regina had to tell her.  She sat on the chair.

“What is it, Regina?”

“How is Neal?” Regina asked without any preamble.

Snow looked at her.  Her hazel eyes searched for some form of emotion in Regina’s darkened mahogany eyes.  What she saw unnerved her.  She could tell that whatever it was it was painful for Regina.  Then, Snow’s heart dropped into her stomach.  Why would Regina be asking about Neal?  What was the importance of her young son?

“Why?”

“Is he well?” Regina asked, not bothering to answer her question.

Snow put her plate back on the table.  She stared at Regina.  Something was not right.

“What aren’t you telling me, Regina?” Snow questioned the worry in her hazel eyes apparent.

“Coraline told us her history, but she left some of the more depressing areas out.  She figured that it wouldn’t do for us to worry over something that we might not be able to control.  Time travel is a tricky thing.  Emma knows that better than anyone else ever could.”

“Yeah, she said that she changed the story of David and I meeting, but I don’t see how she could have.  I know she told us that she was Princess Leia, but Regina that is impossible.  Isn’t it?  You would have known if she was wearing a guise.”

“No, I wouldn’t have.  I might have sense magic, but I wouldn’t have known what it was.  I didn’t know who she was at the time.  All I might have known is that Rumple helped her.  I wasn’t as well versed at that time in magic.  I was mainly plotting your demise.”

“I remember.”

“But, nevertheless, Emma did go back.  She brought Marian, well, Zelena back.  We cannot question that.  And, the fact that Coraline is here and she obviously used magic to do it.  I don’t know what spell.  It isn’t something that I ever studied, but I have been in order to help her in the future.  I will do anything to help my family.  I am sure that you can appreciate that.”

“I can.”

“Then what I am about to tell you is something that I wish I didn’t have to tell you.  Coraline didn’t want to tell you, but after what has happened, I feel that you need to be forewarned.  I am not telling you this to hurt you.  I have found my forgiveness in what happened between us before.  But, the hatred between us isn’t finished.  We need to both forgive each other and help each other if we are going to survive this possible transition back to the Enchanted Forest.”

“But, we’ve stopped Rumple,” Snow started.

“We don’t know if that was enough,” Regina added.

“What is it?”

“Where do you want me to start?”

“With us?” Snow questioned hoping that it wasn’t what she thought it could be.

“How much of Coraline’s story do you actually know?”

“She told me of the day the Darkness struck us all down,” Snow told her.

“It didn’t strike us all down,” Regina said.

“What?  Who besides Red and Belle survived?  The battle was outside the gates of your castle.  Who else survived?” Snow inquired.

“We did,” Regina replied.

“How?  Why?  Are you sure?”

“I needed to know more about the spell that brought Coraline to us.  I needed to know what I could so I would be able to help her in the future.  I wanted to know what happened.  I needed to see it for myself.”

“What did you do?”

“We used the Dreamcatcher.”

“What did you see?”

“Us,” Regina answered.

“Us?”

“Well, older versions of ourselves.  I don’t know what happened during the battle for my castle, but I can surmise that neither of us died.  Whatever the Darkness was, it was drawn to me.  Without Emma, as we had been married and had our family, I am sure that I went berserk.  The Blackness must have seen the pain and anger in my heart as I stormed the field with my magic blazing.  I am sure that it was a sight, but I didn’t die.”

“How?  Why did anyone know?  Surely they looked for a body?” Snow inquired.

“Red did, for a long time. She searched for you as well.  None of our bodies were ever found.”

“But, how?”

“Coraline told me that the day of the siege, Charming and Henry came running back to the castle.  They were covered in muck, mud and blood.  Charming carried the enchanted sword, the one that burnt you in my kitchen, back to me.  When I questioned where Emma was, they told that she was gone.  When I asked for her body, I was told that there wasn’t one.  She had been killed in such a manner that her body vanished.”

“But that’s impossible right?”

“It is as far as I know.  But, in a moment of perfect clarity, I tell Belle and Red to escape as Charming, Henry and I band together to face the coming doom.  I am not sure if I knew that we would die, but I am sure that Charming and Henry did.  They told Red to protect Coraline as if she was her own and for her to never forget that she was the Swan Princess.  Red and Belle did their best, but she truly was the child of the reformed Evil Queen and the Saviour.  They didn’t stand a chance in controlling her,” Regina explained.

“She is our blood,” Snow muttered.

“But, that day isn’t what I saw.  I saw the deepest and dankest dungeon and a wisp of girl, cowering in a cell.  She had been beaten, broken and burned.  There wasn’t an inch of her that hadn’t been tortured.  But, around her was that damned blanket that she is sleeping under now.  It was whole and unaltered.  It looked like it looks now, either Emma’s or hers for they are one in the same.  That blanket save her life, well her body, but not her mind.”

“You think that she lost her mind?” Snow questioned.

“No, Snow, she didn’t.  She fought through the pain.  She had someone to talk to in the dungeon.  It was that person that kept her sane, even though she wasn’t sure that she could trust them.  It was something about their voice that told her she could.  She didn’t know why and she wouldn’t know why until the fateful day when the Black Queen came to break her.”

“What happened?” Snow asked.

Her voice broke with the question.  She knew that whatever Regina was about to tell her, it was important and it wasn’t going to be pleasant.  Snow watched as Regina set her food down.  She was staring at the floor like she was trying to figure out how to tell Snow everything.  She could tell that Regina was still trying to come to grips with the information that she had.  Snow did the only thing that came to her mind at that moment.  She reached across the table and took Regina’s hand in her own.  She hoped that gesture would help Regina finish the story.

“Regina…just tell me.”

Regina looked up into her hazel eyes.  She gave her a watery smile.  Regina sat back a little and composed herself.  When she felt like she could actually tell her, she did.

“Coraline was at the mercy of the Black Queen.  The queen’s only quest was to find my daughter.  Red and Belle had kept her a secret and changed her name to help her hide amongst the people.  Coraline had figured out who she was and that was another reason that she went after the Black Queen.  The day that I have seen was day sixty in captivity and torture.”

“Sixty days?  And she still hadn’t broken?  She truly is a remarkable woman, Regina.”

“Her friend, the other prisoner…she had been there for a very long time.  She was a prized guest of the Black Queen.  Her torture was life.  The Black Queen never touched her.  She allowed her to live and went to great lengths to make sure that the other prisoner stayed alive.”

“Why?”  Snow questioned.

“I believe that the Black Queen figured that her life without her family was torturous enough.  Death would have seemed a mercy.  So, she would have done everything in her power to keep her alive.  The search for the Swan Princess, Coraline, or Remy depending on what time period we are talking about, became an obsession for the Black Queen.  The Swan Princess’s death would have the final nail to the heart of the other prisoner.”

“Who was she?”

“You!” Regina told her.

“Me?  Why me?  Why would the Black Queen keep me alive?”

“From what I have gathered, the Darkness is part of the Dark One.  It wasn’t tethered to anyone.  It wasn’t part of the dagger anymore.  It needed a host so it searched the entirety of the Enchanted Forest until it found someone that had enough power that it could corrupt them enough to snuff out their light.  We’ve already fought against it, once, Snow.  Did you think that the Darkness would just give up?  I was an easy target.  Come after my family.  Destroy them and then I would be hell-bent on getting my revenge.  Twist everything in my head just enough...” Regina explained.

“And, I become the reason again…” Snow stated.

“Yes, but I don’t know why.  I know that it wasn’t you that killed Daniel.  You weren’t the one that changed my happy ending.  You didn’t sacrifice yourself to save me.  The only conclusion I can think of is that I was angry at you for having Emma.  If Emma hadn’t come into my life, things would have been vastly different.”

“But, you wouldn’t be happy.”

“I know.”

“But, that doesn’t explain why you were asking about Neal,” Snow stated.

“He is dying, Snow.  We don’t know how or why, but he is.  Coraline told us that he won’t make it through his eighth year.  While we have all been looking into the cause of the Darkness, Coraline and Belle have been searching for answers on how to help Neal.  She didn’t want to tell you because she wanted you to enjoy the brief life he has.  She didn’t want you to do something drastic, but after she fought that damned dragon, I cannot keep that secret for her any longer.  I want you to do something drastic.  I want to help you do it.  We need to find a way to keep Neal alive.  I will not anyone else suffer because of Rumple or that damned Darkness.”

Snow was crying.  She was trying to absorb what Regina told her, but she couldn’t.  She didn’t understand.  Was Regina just trying to hurt her?  What was the point in telling her?  Neal was happy, healthy, and hale.  What did this accomplish?”

“What are you trying to get me to do?”

“FIGHT!”

“Why?”

“Because after I have read every book that I could get my hands on about his condition as Coraline described it, I realize what happened.”

“And?”

“It is your fault that I became the Black Queen.”

“How?” Snow questionally screamed at her.

“You would have been the only one.  You weren’t there.  You sent Red to us to warn us, but you were still a day’s ride away.  I’ve studied all the maps.  The Vault of the Dark One is there.  But, just as Belle warned Emma and Neal, the Dark One can only exist at the cost of another’s life.”

“You think that I would trade Neal’s life for that power?”

“No, I don’t, not rationally anyway.  But a mother’s love is a curious thing.  We will move mountains to make our children happy and kill anyone that hurts our child.  I don’t know what happened.  That’s the problem.  No one does.  All we know is that Neal dies.  You aren’t at the final battle, but twenty years later and much grayer, you are in a dungeon when Coraline finally breaks.  I’ve become the Black Queen, but upon realizing that Coraline is in fact Remy, I charge her to cast the spell that sends her here.  That spell is from the book of the original Dark One and it can only be found in the Vault.  No Dark One has gone back to the Vault since its inception.  The Vault just housed the evil it could contain until a new Dark One was born.”

“Meaning that it is just waiting for us to come back?”

“Possibly, but I doubt it.  Rumple is missing.  The Darkness has no host and no magic outside of Storybrooke.  It would have gone home and its home is that Vault.”

“But what does that have to do with me?”

“I think that the Darkness finds willing hosts, but it can’t keep them alive unless they possess a natural magic.  So the Darkness covers the land looking for a suitable host, not finding one, it lays waste until one will step up.  Neal dies during this time.  You go to the Vault to find a way to bring him back or save him, unwittingly unleashing more power and giving it a target.”

“Emma?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t think that she was vaporized on that field do you?”

“No, I don’t.  I’ve never seen magic do that.  Kill someone, yes, make them into nothing, no.”

“But, if it took Emma…”

“Somehow, I got involved due to the battle.”

“Meaning?”

“I don’t know.  I would like to think that Emma fought it, but the other day proves otherwise.  She gave up and allowed herself to die because she believed that the Darkness would leave.”

Snow gasped.  She realized what Regina’s words meant.  After everything that they had done, the Darkness was still drawn to Emma because she could be easily corrupted.

“But, she…”

“She died to protect us all.  She figured that if she gave her body up, her life, then the Darkness would have nothing to tether itself to and would leave.  Rumple lost it when he crossed the line.”

“But, why didn’t it do that when Belle banished him before?” Snow asked.

“Because the spell that Rumple cast on the well wasn’t the one he meant.  It opened a portal, but it did more than that.  The powers of the Enchanted Forest came here for a short time.  Rumple was infected by them and his power was corrupted.  In such a degree that I don’t think we understand.  His sanity was going.  The man is well over three hundred years old, Snow.  It was bound to happen.  He wanted something he couldn’t have and he was going to stop at nothing to get it.  He didn’t care who he hurt.  Let alone what it would cause.  But, like he always told me, magic comes with a price,” Regina stated.

“And, what was his?”

“He lost the connection to the Dark One as he crossed the line.  It stayed with the dagger, but it needed someone with a magical body.  Emma was closest and she was the only one that could cross the line without forgetting who she was.  Emma was the only logical choice for it, even if it only used her to for a ride back to town.”

“But, she fought it…” Snow stated.

“For a time she did.  Then, it started going after her soul.  It tried to eat away at her in hopes that she would succumb to its power and be ruled by it.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t understand True Love and light magic.  She fought and fought and fought, but in the end, she knew that if she died with it tethered to her, it couldn’t infect anyone else.”

“But, what about Neal?”

“I think that he is part of the catalyst that reawakens the Dark One’s powers.  We need to find a way to save him.  I will not fight you again, Snow.  I can’t.  I will not lose my family though.”

“I won’t either.”

“Then, we must find a way to save him.”

“Does he have magic like, Emma?” Snow asked her.

“I think that should be a logical conclusion.  He is the product of True Love, but his magic will be like Emma’s light and strong.  He will be a strong opponent to the Dark One’s powers.”

“What causes his illness or whatever?”

“Belle thinks that it because he isn’t from the Enchanted Forest.  He’s never been there and it is some rare disease.  I don’t know.”

“Can I tell you something?” Snow inquired.

“Yes, I am not the one with the problem of secrets.”

“Neal…he doesn’t have a whole heart,” Snow told her.

“What?” Regina questioned breathily as her eyes met those of her former step-daughter and held.


	47. Chapter 47

Regina sat there and just stared.  She didn’t know what to say.  Snow knew that there was something wrong with Neal.  They had been keeping the secret for no reason.  She tried to meet Snow’s eyes to see something, she didn’t care what it was, but she needed to see something, anything that would tell her why Snow hadn’t already come to them for help.

“How long have you known?” Regina asked her.

“Not that long.  Charming found some of Coraline’s writings at the library when he was with Belle a few weeks ago trying to help.  He noticed that there was a lot about Neal, but none of it was specific.  He couldn’t make heads or tails of what was written there.”

“Then how did you figure it out?”

“I asked the right questions.  I either asked Emma or Belle.  I knew that if I came to you…”

“That I would help you?”

“I…I wasn’t sure.  It could have gone either way.  I didn’t know how to ask, honestly.  Could you have honestly stopped trying to help Coraline and help me instead?”

“I…well…I…I don’t know,” Regina answered truthfully.

“Well, I know that Emma would try to find a way.  She was already being pulled into too many directions.  I didn’t want to add to her problems while I could try to find out information for myself.  I didn’t get very far, but still, I was trying to help the situation,” Snow told her.

“So were we,” Regina admitted.

“You knew?”

“Not the specifics, no, but the jest of the problem was that something would kill Neal.  Coraline didn’t seem to have much knowledge about it and neither did my journals.  It seems he got sick when we were…are transported to the Enchanted Forest.  Coraline couldn’t tell me much about the sickness only that he was sick.  She remembered him being a sickly child, but that magic couldn’t help him.  It seems that we tried.”

“But why didn’t…”

“She told us that we couldn’t.  She couldn’t risk you knowing too much about the future, but now, it doesn’t seem to matter.  She doesn’t know if what we’ve done has helped or not.  She seems to think that I dosed the town with a memory potion at some party at Granny’s.  That is why no one remembers her being in here the future.”

“Would you do that?” Snow asked her.

“If I knew that it was for the best, yes.  We both know too much as it is and Emma has been trying to figure out how to save Neal and the town at the same time.  She has already been split.  She has been trying to love me and be my lover, as much as that pains you.  She’s been the Sheriff defending the town with Charming at her side.  She has been a bounty hunter looking for Rumple to make sure that he can’t hurt us anymore.  She’s been doing research with Coraline and Belle on how to help Neal, while working with Henry, Red, and I on how to protect the town.  She never stops because she doesn’t think that she can.  She is worried about us all and the bleak future that Coraline has given us.”

“I know.”

“So, whatever you know, now would be the time to share it,” Regina urged.

“I don’t know much, but I know I love you both for helping me.  We…I’ve looked everything that I can think of about Neal.  I’ve read medical journals, both from here and the Enchanted Forest, but nothing sticks out.  I just know that it is his heart.  It has to be.  He doesn’t have the same fire that Emma did or does.  I can’t see it in his eyes anymore,” Snow told her.

“What do you mean?” Regina asked.

“What do you see when you look into Emma’s eyes?” Snow countered.

“Emerald pools of passion, desire, longing, and worry.  I see the weight of the Saviour pouring out, but there is also a passion burning there for those she loves.  Even when she feels the darkness creeping in, there is this light that radiates inside her.  I don’t know how to describe it.”

“I know what you mean, but Neal doesn’t have that anymore.  He did when he was a baby, when he was younger.  But, now…he seems lethargic and withdrawn.  At first I thought it was a phase.  I even took him to Whale, but he couldn’t find anything wrong with him.  He assured me that he was a happy and hale baby boy, but I could tell.  Neal has been different.”

“For how long?” Regina asked.

“A week or more,” Snow replied she watched Regina’s mind working.

“So that’s why you’ve been at the library with Belle so much,” Regina mused.

“Who told you?”

“Red is my sister, Snow.  She may be your friend and Emma’s godmother, but she is loyal to her family.  She was probably worried about something you said to her.  I don’t know.  She didn’t give me specifics.  She just told me that you were at the library a lot with Neal and that you had been talking with Belle.  Now that all makes sense to me,” Regina told her.

“What are we going to do?  If your theory is right, then I am the reason that Darkness is unleashed again.  Can we do something to me to make sure that I can’t do that?”

“We save Neal.”

“And, how do we do that?”

“We get him a heart,” Regina told her.

 

_“You know who I am, Coraline,” the voice told her again._

She knew that she had to be dreaming.  There was no way that she was hearing voices.  She wasn’t crazy.  She was hurt.  She just didn’t know how she kept finding her way into this dark room or wherever she was. 

_“Don’t try to rationalize this, Coraline.   You’ll only hurt your brain.   I am the Swan Wolf and that is all you need to know.   I’ve come to tell that you did succeed in your mission.”_

“I stopped the Blackness?” she asked the voice.

_“You did.   It was a miracle and not in a manner that I am sure both houses agree with, but nevertheless, it worked.   You have saved the family and the kingdom.   You should be proud of that.”_

“Who are you really?” Coraline asked, not sure if she trusted the words of this unseen voice.

_“I cannot tell you my name.   Technically, I shouldn’t be talking to you.   I am part of the miracle you’ve brought about.   Regina and Emma had Henry write down your tale, Coraline.   I know that you are confused and you will be because of everything that you’ve done to help.   I would be too, but think about your counterpart in the future.   Remy doesn’t even know how to process what you’ve done and you are the same person…but not.”_

“I am sorry,” she replied.

_“Don’t be.   The way they tell the story, it is legend.   Will keeps Remy on her toes though and helps her be Coraline.   But, without your past, she can’t be totally like you.   She is still a good shot and a master swordsman.   She’s learned to hone her magic and use it with Regina and Emma’s help.   She is still the Survivor.   She just didn’t have to fight for it the way that you did, Coraline.   She is still you in many ways.”_

“Are we related?” Coraline asked.

Finally the voice knew that Coraline wasn’t going to stop pushing.   Knowing the outcome ow what was to come, the voice made the decision to appear.  Coraline could feel the dream scape altering around her.  She no longer felt cold and she could feel the presence of light.  Everything was brighter and lighter.

_“Open your eyes, Coraline,” the voice commanded_.

Coraline did.  She gasped as she looked around.  They were in the shadow of the Winterlands’ Castle.  It was standing and it was magnificent.  The trees were full and green.  She could smell the aftermath of a good storm in the air.  She spun around.  She was home.  This was home.  This is what she was fighting for.  She smiled from ear to ear.

“I told you that you succeeded.  Do you believe me now that you can see this?  This is what you wanted, is it not, Coraline?” a pale figure asked walking up to her.

“Who---” Coraline started to ask as she looked upon the woman standing before her.

She had dark hair and piercing green eyes.  Her chin looked familiar, but Coraline wasn’t sure.  The more she looked at this woman, the more Coraline thought she should know her.  There was a wildness about her that was so damn familiar.  She studied what she was wearing.  She recognized the joint coat-of-arms, but it was different.  There were wolves added to it, but they were flanking the coat-of-arms not actually on it.

“The Swan Wolf?” Coraline asked pointing to the coat-of-arms.

“It’s a long story, Dear.  And one, we don’t have time for.  I can only tell you so much.  You know that.   I can only give so much, no matter how much I want to tell you.”

“Well, what can you tell me?” Coraline asked her.

“You are the Survivor because of your sacrifice.  You will essentially live forever, Coraline.  Your name is legendary amongst the people of the Enchanted Forest.  It rests up there with Snow’s, Emma’s and even Regina’s.  You are regarded as a hero, even though no one in this timeline will ever know what you’ve done for all of us.  There are those of us that do.  We’ve read the books.  We know the tales.   We keep the stories alive.”

“But…I’ve become a tale?”

“You are part of the continuation of the Swan Saga.”

“The Swan Saga?”

“It is what we call the family history.  It is all because of Emma.  She refused to be a White or a Charming.  The House of’ Swan still rules in my day, Coraline.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you needed to know.  You want to believe that what you’ve done has succeeded in stopping the Blackness from taking over the land.  It did.  I am living proof of that.  But, I understand your reluctance to completely believe.  I would have as well if I was you.”

“You still won’t tell me how you are related to me, directly or indirectly, will you?”

“I cannot.  It could upset things, but know that what I am about to tell you is the only way to save Neal, Prince of the Summerlands.  I do not come to you with this news lightly.”

“What do I have to do?” Coraline asked, with no fear in her heart.

“He needs a new heart.  His heart isn’t whole and he cannot survive here like that.  They will try magic but it will not hold.  He’s death isn’t the start of the darkness, but it could be the precursor.  We all know what lengths Snow is willing to go to protect her children.  You need to find another heart for him.   I can’t you how or where to go to get it.  I can only give you the knowledge.  What you do with it is your own doing,” she told Coraline.

“I understand.”

“Coraline, I don’t know how much time you have.  The Blackness will still come and to defeat it, they will come here, back to the Enchanted Forest.  You are not with them.”

“I understand,” Coraline tells her as she starts to search her brain for ways to help Neal.

“You will need to make peace with that.  You will be born there as Remy and she will never know the pain you suffered.  She will be happy.”

“Is Wilhelmina the Vulcannonian Knight to the House of Swan there?”

“Coraline, you know that I can’t—”

“Give me that, because we both know that I am dead.   Tell me that, please.   Just tell me that, if nothing else,” Coraline demanded.

“Yes, she is here.”

“Is she happy?”

“Like I said, Coraline.   You are the Survivor.   You are eternal for us, through legends and deeds.   That is all I can say,” she told her.

“Then I will take that,” she answered as she started to turn away from the castle and start her way back down the path into the forest.

She figured that it was the way back to reality for her.  She didn’t know where it would take her, now, but she hoped that she would wake and be back in Storybrooke.  She had the answers to save her uncle and in saving him, the entire kingdom from a dark future.

“Coraline?”

She spun around to face the dark hair knight before her.  She looked into her eyes a little more closely.  The burning green resembled that of Charming’s and Emma’s.  The dark hair was definitely from Regina’s or Ruby’s side.  The chin…it was Snow’s.  This girl was related to her somehow.  She could see it in her face.  She was of the House of Swan.

“Are you my child?”

“No,” she replied smiling and shaking her head.  “I am not directly of your blood, Aunt Remy.  I am related though Henry though.”

“How?”

“Let’s just say that Moms aren’t the only ones with magic,” she replied.

“I should go back and stop this.”

“You are from the House of Swan.  You are a Saviour and you are the Survivor.  Find the path that works for you, Coraline and take it,” she told her.

“I will.  Thank you.  I’m guessing you are niece of mine.”

“You’d be right, Aunt Remy.  Now go.  They need you.  Follow that path into the woods.  It will take you home and back to them,” she explained pointing to another path.

“Thank you…”

“It’s Daniella, Coraline.  My name is Daniella Coraline Lucas.  I was named after you,” she stated, spun around and started running towards the castle.

As Daniella ran away from her, she could see the bright red streaks in her hair.  Then, before her eyes, Daniella sprang into the air and phased into a Wolf with dark brown hair and auburn streaks.  Coraline gasped.  She was seeing the future in order to protect it.

She woke up with a start, gasping for air, eyes wide.  Will was immediately at her side, holding her hand and rubbing her forehead.  Her body lurched upwards off the bed and a primal scream tore through her body as more of the gray black smoke poured from her mouth.  Her eyes closed like she was in immense pain.  She fell back onto the bed before her eyes reopened. 

“Water?” she asked for with a rough voice.

Will immediately handed her a small cup as she cupped the back of her head.  She supported Coraline while she sipped slowly at the water.  When she was finished, she eased her back down on to the pillow and looked over at Tink.  Tink understood the look and immediately left the room to get everyone.

“I know what to do.”

“You do?” Will asked her.

“I can fix it.”

“You can fix what?” Will asked her.

“Neal,” she answered and then passed back out.

 

Emma found herself standing outside the library with Ruby and Belle.  She knew that Henry was inside.  They were there to find out more on to help Neal.  Henry was there writing down the story because he was the author after all.  He would record.  He wouldn’t dictate their lives.

“What’s with the face?” Ruby asked her.

“Can I tell you something?” Emma asked them both.

“Sure,” Ruby replied, wondering what Emma was hinting at.

“You can tell us anything,” Belle told her.

“Regina and I are going to get married,” Emma replied.

“That’s great,” Belle stated.

“So, why do you look afraid to go talk to Henry?” Ruby questioned.

“I want to ask him for Regina’s hand.  I want to do this right.  I want Regina to be happy.”

“Have you asked her?” Belle inquired.

“In a round bout way, yes, I did.”

“And, what did she say?” Ruby asked.

“She said yes, but I told her I wanted to ask Henry.  He’ll be the one to walk her down the aisle and all.  He is the only man in her life now.”

“There is that, but what about Will?” Belle probed.

“Regina mentioned that, too.  I don’t think that I can ask Will for Regina’s hand.  I don’t know how to ask her.  I mean, she is Regina’s knight, but does she actually have a say in the matter?”

“Yes, she does.  She stands in for anyone that isn’t present in Regina’s life.  It is Vulcannonian Law.  Regina will not be able to marry anyone without Will’s permission.”

“How?  That makes no sense.  She serves Regina.  How can she control her life like that?” Emma asked them both frustrated.

“It was another way to protect their charges.  Will will look into your background.  She will test you and make sure that you are worthy of Regina’s hand.  It isn’t Henry that I would be afraid of, Emma.  It is Will.  She is fiercely protective of her.  You thought that she was bad about Coraline.  You’ve seen nothing when it comes to what Will can do.  She is awesomely monstrous when she needs to be.  She is magnificent and deadly.  You have no true idea of the great power that she hides inside her.  But, that is the beauty of being Vulcannonian.”

“Thanks for helping my ego there, Belle,” Emma replied sarcastically.

Ruby laughed.  Belle just smiled.  They could feel how nervous Emma was.  Ruby wrapped her arm around her friend and pulled her towards the library door.

“Now or never, Kid.  Just go ask him.  He’s your son.  He isn’t going to say no to you,” Ruby told her as she pushed her inside the building.

Emma stumbled through the door.  Henry looked up because he saw the movement.  He smiled at his mother and then went back to work on the story.  She watched as his pen flowed across the paper.  She didn’t want to disturb him.

“He’s busy.  This is a bad time.  I should be getting back to the Abbey and to Regina,” Emma said, turning around running right into Ruby as Belle stepped around them to go sit with Henry.

“No.  You do this now.  And, don’t look at me like that.  You got my sister pregnant.  You are going to do right by her and that baby.  Do you hear me?  I am not going to let you slack off.  So, put your big girl panties on and go ask your son for his other mother’s hand in marriage.”

Emma slowly crossed the room to where Henry was sitting.  Her heart was in her throat.  She didn’t know why she was scared of him.  She knew that he didn’t care about their relationship.  She knew that Henry was actually one of the first ones on their side, but it still felt like she was marching towards the executioner. 

“Henry?”

“Hey, Ma, what’s up?”

“I need to ask you something.”

“Okay, go ahead.”

“Well, you see.  I need to ask you about your mother.  It’s kinda important and I want your input on it, okay?” Emma asked, seemingly more nervous the longer she talked.

“Just ask, Ma.  I am sure that you just said something that upset her.  So, spill it.  What’s up?”

“I…well…I need to ask your permission to…Damn it!” Emma swore as her cell phone rang.  “Hold that thought, Kid.  Okay.  Just a minute.”

Emma pulled out her cell phone.  She saw that it was from Will.  She glanced at the number before answer the phone.  She just nodded as she listened to what Will had to say.  Her face fell the longer that Will talked.  Emma realized that she wasn’t saying much when she looked up into her Godmother and best friend’s hazel eyes.

Ruby just watched from across the room.  She couldn’t help but hear their conversation.  She pushed off the wall that she had been leaning on and went to the desk that Henry was writing at.

“Pack up your stuff, Kid,” Ruby told Henry.

“Why?”

“We’re going to the Abbey.  Coraline has woken up.  We need to be there for your Moms.”

“What aren’t you telling him that you heard?” Belle asked as she came up beside them.

“It concerns Neal,” Ruby replied.

Belle didn’t need to reply.  She knew that it wasn’t good news by the look that Ruby was carrying.  She grabbed Ruby’s hand as they all worked their way out the door and into the police cruiser at the curb.  Belle leaned on Ruby as they sat in back seat.  Henry and Emma were decidedly quiet. 

Finally Belle leaned over and whispered into Ruby’s ear, “We’ll help them through this.”

“Yes, we will.”

“They are my family now, too,” Belle told her.

Ruby squeezed her hand tighter and gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head.  Belle scooted as close as she could.  They felt Emma’s foot hit the accelerator as the car lurched forward.

 

Emma burst through the door of the small cloister where Coraline was being tended.  Regina and Snow were beside each other, both wearing odd looks.  Will was right beside the bed, still holding Coraline’s hand.  Emma could tell that she was willing her to wake up, again. 

Emma’s eyes met those of her mother.  There was an anguish and an understanding there.  She raised her eyebrow in question when she realized that Regina had caught her gazing at her mother.  Neither her lover nor her mother made a sound to tell her why they were both so worried.  She moved around the room until she was beside them both.  She gave Regina a kiss and waited for someone to say something.

“Can we have the room?” Blue asked joining them.

“Who needs to leave?” Emma asked, giving her a defying look.

“I need Coraline’s mothers and her Love,” Blue replied.

Snow walked over to Henry and pulled him into her with a side hug.  He looked up at her and could tell that there was something bothering her.  He gave her a questioning look.

“Why don’t we go get some ice cream, Henry?” she suggested.

Emma tossed her keys to Ruby.  She caught them mid-air and nodded at Emma.  She understood the silent protect my family look.  Ruby and Belle followed them out.

As soon as the door closed, Blue looked up into worried green eyes.  Emma felt Regina’s hand close around her own and squeeze, hard.  She didn’t move.  She just knew that the news they were about to get was going to be grave and very tragic. 

“What’s wrong with her, Blue?” Emma asked when no one else said anything.

“Nothing is wrong with Coraline besides the fact that she is in the wrong time period.”

“Then what is bothering everyone here?” Emma questioned, looking them each in the eye.

“Emma…”

“No, no…someone better tell me what’s going on,” Emma demanded.

“I talked with Snow,” Regina told her.

“About?”

“Neal,” Regina replied.

“She knows that he dies?”

“She does.”

“How?”

“That doesn’t matter.  She knew before I told her.  She knows that there is something wrong with him.  She’s figure out that he doesn’t have a whole heart,” Regina explained to her.

“How?”

“I don’t know exactly, but when it comes to the resourcefulness of your mother, I never doubt her or her ability to get information.”

“Okay, so now what?”

“Coraline has figured out how to help him,” Will stated.

“Which is?”

“She wants to give him her heart,” Will said.

“No, absolutely not.  Not going to happen.  There has to be another way.  She can’t do that.”

“Emma…” Regina started to say.

“You cannot stand there and tell me that you are entertaining this idea?” Emma screeched.

“Emma…think about ….”

“No.  NO.  NO!  She is not giving him her heart.  She’d die if she did that.”

“She won’t die,” Blue told them.

“How could she not?”

“I can enchant the heart,” Blue said.

“And, what would that accomplish?” Emma demanded.

“She would live as long as Neal did.  The price that she would have to pay would be that she would never be able to leave Storybrooke.  If for some reason we did get sucked back in a portal to the Enchanted Forest, she wouldn’t survive it.  She would take his flaws and pay his price.”

“No, I will not let her sacrifice herself like this.  There has to be another way.  What about us giving him one of the hearts from Regina’s vault?” Emma asked as tears began to pour down.

“I don’t have a heart that will work.  Besides, I’ve given back most of them.  My vault is lacking in magical hearts.  I kept it that way for a reason, Emma.  I can’t help him, but Coraline can.”

“Why are you being so open about this?  Why aren’t you fighting harder for her?  She’s our daughter and you are willing to let her die like this?  What’s the point?  This can’t be her fate.”

“It isn’t,” Coraline stated, waking again and looking deeply into her mother’s tearful green eyes.

“Coraline?”

“Ma, I know that this is going to hurt you for a while.  But, this is a way that I can stop the Darkness and the Black Queen so I can have my family, I am willing to pay it.  I am not afraid to die.  I never have been.  I just hoped that I could make you both proud of the woman I became.”

Emma fell to her knees beside the bed and took her daughter’s hand.  She looked down into her brown eyes and saw the flickering green.  She knew that Coraline’s emotions were everywhere and that was causing her magic to flare. 

“Can we have a moment?” Regina asked both Blue and Will.

Will’s deep sapphire eyes met those of the Queen’s.  They held for a few moments.  There was a silent conversation between them.  Regina knew that Will was angry with her for asking her to leave, but she understood that this was a family matter.  She nodded.

“I’ll be right outside the door,” Will told them as she looked right at Coraline.

When the door closed and they were alone, Coraline tried to sit up a little more.  Regina leaned over and helped her.  Once she was set and happy, Regina reached over and moved some of Coraline’s hair out of her face. 

“Coraline, you can’t expect me to let you do this.”

“I am not asking for you for permission.  I can help him.  I have a heart made from True Love.  It can heal him and stop the change of events that causes the Blackness to come.  I have to do this.”

“You can’t.  Regina, come on.  This is wrong and you know it,” Emma pleaded.

“I don’t like any more than you, Dear, but she has a point.  She does bear the heart born of True Love, just like you.  Her heart can heal Neal.  She can do this if we let her.  And, as much as I hate that Blue bug, she can enchant the heart.  This means that we can still have her with us.  She is just helping save this family.”

“Regina!”

“We’re pregnant, Emma.  We aren’t losing her.  For us she hasn’t been born yet.  For her, she’s already lived through enough.  She is trying to help us keep her alive by using Blue’s enchantment.  We will still have our daughter.  She is still the Survivor.”

“I can’t do this.  I just can’t.  I’m sorry,” Emma told them as she fled the room.

Regina started to go after her, but Coraline reached out for her.  She grabbed Regina’s hand and pulled her back towards the bed.  Her soft brown eyes were pleading with her.  She could tell that Coraline didn’t want to be alone.  She sat back down.

“I need to talk to Will.”

“She isn’t going to take it any better than Emma did,” Regina stated.

“I know.”

“I am not that happy with it, but I understand what you are trying to do, Coraline.  I’ve talked with Snow.  She knew about Neal.  She found out from your journals a few weeks ago.  Don’t look at me like that.  She can read them because she is your grandmother.  She just couldn’t read about what I’ve written.”

“What else did you talk about?”

“Maps and locations,” Regina stated.

“And?  What about them?  Did you figure you something out?” Coraline asked her.

“We might have, but it will keep, Coraline.  I am worried about you.  Taking a heart is painful.  This is going to hurt.”

“No more than what I’ve already been in and thru.  This will be a cake walk.”

“Coraline…”

“Mom, we both know that this is the only way.  You saw it for yourself when you touched your heart with Emma’s.  True Love can fix anything.  I can help him.  He needs my heart.”

“I’ll talk to Emma,” Regina resigned.

“Will you send Will in?”

“Yeah, love, I will.  Call me later.  I am sure that she’ll need me.  Make her come to me.”

“I will, Mom.  I will.  But, she might need to know about me being in there,” Coraline told her as she pointed as to Regina’s stomach.  “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Mom,” Coraline replied.

 

“You can’t really expect me to do that!” Will shouted.

“Why not?  It is simple.  You take it and give it to him,” Coraline stated.

“Because you will die,” Regina said.

“But, I won’t be dead, Mom.  I’ll still be alive.  I’ll just be little.”

“That doesn’t make it any better,” Emma replied.

“Just do it.”

“I can’t,” Will told them.

“I won’t,” Regina added.

“Coraline, don’t ask us to do this.”

“It is the only way to save Neal and you both know it.  Let me do this.  Let me save him.  I am still alive and safe.  I’ll grow up.  Just do it,” Coraline begged them.

“I can’t, Coraline.  I am sorry.  I am your mother and you are asking me to kill you.  I can’t do that.  I can’t take your heart.  There has to be another way,” Emma told her.

“There isn’t.  We’ve tried.  This way my heart will protect him.”

Coraline paced by his bed.  She knew that she could do it herself.  She’d read about Henry doing it in Neverland, but she also knew it was because Neverland was a land built on magic.  The magic here in the Forest wasn’t quite that powerful.  She could do it, but she wouldn’t have the time to put it into Neal’s body.  She hadn’t enchanted her heart like her mother had.  She wouldn’t survive without it.  She hadn’t enchanted it on purpose.

“I can do this for him.  If you’ll let me.  You aren’t losing me.  I am still alive.”

“You can’t ask us to let you do this, Coraline.  You just can’t.  I will not lose you.”

“But, that is just it, Mom.  You aren’t losing me.  You’ll still have me.”

“Why can’t I have both of you?” Regina asked.

That was the crux of the problem.  Coraline was grown up but still their daughter.  Remy was the just the baby version of their daughter, but she was also their daughter.  There was no other way for them to see it.

“Will, you have to do it,” Coraline charged her.

“You can’t ask me to do this.”

“But, you are the only one who can do it.  Don’t you see?  They can’t because they are clouded by emotion.  They don’t see things like we do.  You have to take my heart.”

“Coraline…”

“Listen, I know that it is hard for you.  I understand that.  I appreciate that you don’t want me to die, but maybe this is my destiny.  Maybe this is what I was supposed to do.  Maybe I was supposed to come back to bring you into the equation.  Maybe I am supposed to save Neal, because I will still be born and thus still live.”

“You can’t know that.”

“No, I can’t.  But, what I do know is that I live.  I am alive right now as at baby, I am with Grams and Neal right now.  If die, I still live.  You’re a Phoenix.  Don’t you understand that?”

“But, I can’t kill you, Coraline.”

“I am not asking you to kill me.  I am asking you to give my heart to Neal so he may live.  I am not dying because there are two of me.  That is what none of you can see.  I will not die.  I will have fulfilled my destiny.  Remy and I cannot exist in the same time line.  It will confuse things.  My ‘death’ will ensure Neal’s life, but it will also fix the paradox concerning Remy and I.”

“But, if I take your heart, it will destroy me as well,” Will told her.

“How?” Coraline asked, suddenly concerned.

“You’ve never told her?” Regina asked.

“No, I didn’t.  You didn’t want me to tell her, so I didn’t.  I cannot disobey, Majesty.  You know that.  Spoken or unspoken wishes, it doesn’t matter.  I cannot go against you.”

“Tell her the truth, Wilhelmina.  Tell her what it means for you to be Vulcannonian.  Tell her what it means to be the last Phoenix.”

“Regina?” Emma asked, reaching out for her arm.

“It’s called in the Fairy Tongue Liebseelen Praegung.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Coraline and Emma both asked.

“Let her explain it,” Regina whispered to Emma.

“It means that I am immortal until I find my soul mate.”

“What does that mean for me?”

“It means that our souls have intertwined.  That is why I was so drawn to you mother when we were younger.  I was always meant to be near her, because it would lead me to you.  It was the same for Emma.  That is why I found her in Boston and helped her.  I didn’t understand it then and I still don’t really.”

“What are you trying to tell me?” Coraline asked.

“In your world, in your words, I am your True Love.  To destroy you will kill me.  I can’t do that.  I cannot kill you knowing that I will die.”

“But, don’t you see.  You won’t die.  Yes, I will die, but Remy is still me.  I will still full in love with you.  My heart and soul exists.  It is just younger.  You will still get me.”

“I can’t take that chance.  I cannot lose you.  Coraline, I simply can’t.  I wouldn’t survive it.”

 

“What do you want me to say?” Will asked as she shoved more clothes into a bag.

“I want you to tell me what you think you are doing,” Regina told her.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Will quipped, tossing that bag aside and grabbing another one.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yes.”

“Again…”

“Don’t do this.  Not now.  Not after everything, Regina.  I can’t.  I just can’t stay here.”

Regina stared at the red head like she had three heads.  She understood that she was hurting, but she made a promise to Coraline and to Emma and herself.  Now, she was just running from the pain.  She couldn’t let her run again.  They needed each other, all of them.

“So you are going to break your promise again?” Regina asked her, knowing than her words would wound her enough to stop her movements.

“What’s the point in staying, Regina?  Coraline is dead and by my hand.  Why you haven’t tried to destroy me is still beyond me?  But, there is nothing here for me anymore.  What do you want from me?” Will asked completely dejected.

“What about Emma?  What about me?  You would leave us?” Regina questioned.

Will stopped moving and collapsed on the floor.  The weight of everything finally hit her completely.  She looked up at Regina with her big blue eyes full of tears, only to find Regina’s just as watery.  Regina knelt down beside her and did the only thing that she could.  She gathered the heap that was Wilhelmina off the floor.

Emma came over to the collage as soon as she got Regina’s text.  She was worried about Will’s mental health.  She couldn’t even begin to imagine what she was thinking.  She couldn’t fathom what she was going through.  She’d lost a daughter that day, but Will lost her “ _Liebselle_.”

Emma didn’t know what she would do if she’d lost Regina.  Coraline had told her what Regina did.  Now, they had to save Will from herself.  They would have to remind her that Coraline would live again.  They would be together, she would just have to wait.

She burst into the apartment and found them holding each other.  She stalked over to them.  She sank down to her knees and the only thought she had was how similar this scene was to the scene she found her mother with Coraline months ago.  Regina looked up in time to see her sink down to her knees and join them.

“Will?”

“Emma?”

“You can’t leave,” she stated quickly.

‘Why not?”

“Because I’m pregnant,” Regina told her.


	48. Chapter 48

Will hit the floor.  She didn’t know what to say.  She felt herself breaking.  She knew that Regina was pregnant.  That meant that Coraline would still be born.  They still had a chance to be together, but she would have to wait.  Her heart hurt and her brain wasn’t fairing much better.

She didn’t know what to do.  She wanted to help Coraline, but she didn’t want to either.  Coraline wanted her to help remove her heart.  That wasn’t something that Will thought she could do.  She didn’t know if she could be around while Coraline grew up again.

“I can’t do this,” Will told them as she remained on the floor.

Regina watched her.  This is why she was afraid of letting Will and Coraline be together.  She knew that if something happened to Coraline that Will’s heart would break.  This was worse.  Will was devastated.  And, Regina had done enough research and heard enough from Belle to know that this devastation could be disastrous for Wilhelmina.  She not only wanted to protect her living daughter and her unborn daughter, but she wanted to protect Will, too.

“I can’t believe that she asked me to do it,” Will mused out loud.

“She asked you to do what?” Regina asked her.

“She wants me to be the one that takes her heart and gives it to Neal.  I can’t do that.  I can’t.”

“She isn’t dead yet, Will.  You need to talk to her.  You need to tell her how you feel about this.  Explain it to her,” Regina told her taking another step towards her.

“I can’t.  I have to leave.  I can’t be here right now,” Will replied as she willed her body not to break as her heart continued to do so.

“Where will you go?” Emma asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Will, don’t leave town.  We need you here.  I need you here.  Coraline needs you here,” Regina told her as she closed the distance between them, hoping that she could break through to her friend, her knight, and her daughter’s lover.

“No, Regina, she doesn’t.  She knew that this would destroy me and she went through with it anyway.  She knew that she was going to die.  She had to.  Didn’t she?” Will asked as they watched her face go through a variety of emotions.

“She didn’t, Will.  I know that much.  She didn’t know that she was coming here to die.  Nothing in her past, our future, told her that.  She didn’t even know who you were.  You were just a friend of mine from Boston.  She didn’t know who you were to Regina and what that meant for our family.  She brought you to us.  She restored you and mended your relationship with Regina.  She is saving us all a little at a time, but now, she believes that in order to save us all completely from the bleak future that she knows that she has to save Neal.  I am sure that she didn’t come to that realization lightly.  She has been working towards this goal for months, Will.  She never lied to us.  She told us what she could and what was relevant in order for us to help her.”

“She never told us that she was going to die!” Will countered.

“Because she didn’t know,” Regina added; the pain in her voice evident.

“How could she not?”

“She has changed her timeline.  She doesn’t know exactly what happens, but she knows that Neal is now the catalyst that causes our destruction.  She is still trying to prevent that and if giving her heart to him is the only way that she can, she will,” Regina answered.

“I don’t like this anymore than you do, Will.  I really don’t.  I can’t stand here and tell you that I happy about losing my daughter, so I won’t.  I am really pissed that I am going to lose my daughter in there, Will.  I am pissed.  But, I also know that I am not really losing her,” Emma told her as she wrapped her arms around Regina’s torso, laying her hands protectively over her belly and slightly rubbing.  “Because I know that she is in here, growing strong and powerful and in about seven months, I will get to hold her.  That scares me to death, too.”

“Emma…”

“No, Will, don’t.  Don’t try to tell me that this is going to hurt you more than me.  She is my daughter.  She is my blood and it is my job to protect her and keep her alive.  It is my duty to die before she does, but I don’t get that.  I am going to have to watch her die in order to save my brother from whatever his fate could have been.  And, in saving him, she saves us all.  Do you think that I want her to have that sort of responsibility?  Cause, I don’t.  I have that sort of responsibility because I am the Saviour.  I didn’t want her to have that, either.  No one needs that.  No one needs that kind of pressure.  Trust me, I know. 

“Look at me, Will.  Look into my eyes when I tell you this.  I would die for her if I could.  That doesn’t seem to be my fate right now.  Have you forgotten that I do die in her future?  I left the confines and safety of our castle in order to defend us.  I died that day.  You weren’t there, Will. I led men to their deaths and I will do it again if I think that it will save us.  I would gladly die for her.  Regina would do the same.  So don’t stand there and think that we don’t know how you feel.  I won’t stand for it.  So either you man up and be there for all of us or, run away and hurt her more deeply than our deaths do in the future.  That is your choice,” Emma told her and left the room, overcome with so much emotion that she couldn’t stay there anymore.

Regina watched her go.  She knew that Emma was hurting because she was hurting too.  She didn’t know how she was supposed to live with the knowledge that her own daughter had come back to the past just to sacrifice herself for her uncle and that in that sacrifice she would save them all from the coming darkness that they call the Blackness.

 She caught herself absent-mindedly rubbing her stomach.  It had only been a few days, but she realized since she knew for real that she was pregnant she had been doing it more.  She looked up at the blue-eyed knight before her and gave her a weak smile.

“Will?”

“Yes, my Queen…” she replied weakly.

“I know that you don’t want to do this.  I do.  I don’t know what I would do if that was Emma in there offering her heart to save Neal’s life.  I know that I would go insane and probably turn back into the Evil Queen to assuage my guilt and heartache.  I would try not to, but I know that it could happen.  You don’t have that hanging over you.  I do.  I understand that it may destroy you that she isn’t going to be with us, but she is.  Coraline might die, but Remy will be here.  Your True Love will still be around.”

“I don’t know that I can do that, Regina.”

“Can’t do what?  Watch her grow up?  Be there for her from the beginning?  What is it that you can’t do?  Because I’m confused,” Regina told her.

“Regina…”

“No, Will, tell me what you are having problems with,” she demanded.

Regina sat down and waited.  She knew that needed to push Will to get the answer she needed even if it wasn’t the answer she wanted.  Will had run away from her because of her emotions before and she needed to make sure that Will didn’t make the same mistake again.

“She wants me to kill her…”

“She isn’t asking you to kill her.  She knows that she is still going to live.  She is asking you to help us stop the future that she had to grow up and live in.  She is asking you to protect me by saving Neal from death.  Is that something that you are capable of doing?” Regina asked her.

“Don’t ask me to do that,” Will pleaded.

“I am not asking you to do that, Will.  Coraline is.  If I have to, I’ll order you.”

“You wouldn’t…”

“You are still under contract to me, Wilhelmina.  I will do whatever it takes for Remy to have a childhood that isn’t rife with war.  If that means that I have to watch my daughter die as an adult, so that she can have that, I will.  Emma understands Coraline on a level that I don’t.  I’ll admit that and that is another reason that I will do whatever it takes to ensure that she has a loving future.  Is that going to be a problem?”

“No, your Majesty,” Will replied.

“Good.  Now, I am going to find Emma and talk with her.  You need to go talk to Coraline.  Spend these last moments with her in love and let her know that you love her.  Don’t let her die thinking that you are angry with her.  She asked you to do it because she loves you, Will.  Be with her.  I’ll get Red and Snow.  I need to talk to with them as well.  We’ll come back tomorrow.  Spend this time with her now,” Regina told her.

“Yes, Majesty.  Can I have a few minutes before I go back?  I just need to compose myself.”

“Yes, Will.  Take your time.  I’ll get Red and Snow.  I’ll check on you before we leave.”

She watched as Will just nodded.  She knew that this was going to tear all of them apart inside, but she couldn’t see any other way.  The one person that she could ask for help was the one that had betrayed them all in this.  He was the one that started the events that would cause the coming Blackness.  Regina could only hope that protecting Neal now would stop the possibility of their bleak future.  Their world was being torn apart and turned upside down, again.  Regina just shook her head.  It was just another day in Storybrooke.

 

She entered Coraline’s room and sat down.  Snow was sitting next to her.  She had just finished wiping her brow when Regina came in.  As soon as Red noticed that her sister was there, she left Snow’s side and lay down beside Regina’s chair.  Regina met Snow’s hazel eyes.  She saw the questions, but she wasn’t sure that she anymore answers than she had before.  She reached down and petted Red while she kept her gaze focused on Snow. 

They needed each other now.  They knew that.  They had come closer together in the last few years than they had ever been, but it had been the last twenty-four hours that brought them together.  Regina knew that this might drive a slightly larger wedge between Emma and her mother, but she also knew that she would do anything in her power to stop that from happening.

“Emma left,” Snow said.

“I know.”

“She’s mad at me,” Snow replied more of statement than a question.

“Probably, but it isn’t really your fault.  She is thinking through things.  Coraline’s position reminds her a lot of herself and she promised herself that her children would never know what it was like to not have a family.  She doesn’t want Coraline to suffer in the future, but she has come to love her now.  She doesn’t want to watch her die, Snow.”

“I don’t know a mother that ever wants to watch their child die, Regina.”

“I know I don’t, but I also know that she is the key to guaranteeing her future.”

“She told me that she is known as the ‘Survivor’.”

“From what I understand, yes, she is.”

“She won’t survive this, Regina.  You know that.  If they take her heart and give it to Neal, she won’t survive.  She can’t, can she?”

“No, Snow, she won’t.  She will be taking on Neal’s fate.  She could survive without her heart because there is magic here, Snow.  This isn’t the same thing.  She will be taking his fate willingly because she knows what would happen if she didn’t,” Regina told her.

“Which is?”

“They would be tied together for life.  Anything that he felt, she would feel.  She wouldn’t have any control over her own emotions.  She would be at his mercy.  She would be a shell of a person and Neal would be the only thing keeping her alive.  It wouldn’t be the same as when I controlled hearts.  It won’t be the same as you and Charming.  She will be willingly giving up her life force for him.  I wish it would just be as simple as her giving him her heart and living on, like when I removed my heart and tried to bury in the Enchanted Forest.”

“Is there no other way?”

“Not that I have found.  I’ve looked.  The only other person that could help is…”

“Was Rumple and I wouldn’t go to him for this.  I owed him too much for Emma.  I would not corrupt what little bit of life Neal had by making a deal with him,” Snow answered.

“That’s good, because I think that he is dead.  He couldn’t help us anyway.  Besides all that, I wouldn’t let you do that, Snow.  I wouldn’t let you make a deal to save Neal,” Regina told her.

“I don’t think that I would tell you if I did,” Snow replied.

“You wouldn’t have to; I would just know.”

Snow looked at her former step-mother and soon to be daughter-in-law.  She knew that it was the truth.  Regina had done her damnedest to keep anyone from making deals with Rumple after she learned that Rumple had manipulated her into casting the curse in the first place.  There had been an invisible war raged between the two for years because of that, but in times of need they still came together to fight for the common good of the town, more or less.  Regina knew she couldn’t trust him but she also knew that he was Henry’s grandfather.  A fact alone that kept the imp alive longer than was necessary.

“Would you have destroyed him earlier if you had known?” Snow asked her.

Red perked up.  She was absent-mindedly listening but even she wanted to know the answer.  Could Regina have killed him if she’d known what his curse would have entailed before she cast it?  Would she take it all back?

“No, I wouldn’t.  I would have waited until we were here without magic and I would have just killed him.  I wouldn’t have made him suffer.  I would have just ended him.”

“Why didn’t you?” Snow asked her.

“Because I was afraid of Emma and I didn’t know it yet.  I was afraid of the curse breaking and I was so wrapped up in wanting my revenge on you while getting my happy ending that I couldn’t see past the consequences of my actions.  I didn’t understand the full ramifications of casting the curse.  I couldn’t until I had cast it and lost everything I knew to gain something I didn’t know I wanted at the time.  It took me eighteen years to understand what I had done on his behest and then I couldn’t undo it.  And, all that did was give me Henry.  I had to wait for Emma, but I was still so passionate about my revenge and my need to punish you, just someone and see them suffer because of Daniel’s death that I didn’t realize what I was doing to myself.  Henry filled the hole in my heart and taught me to love again, but at the same time he was slowly destroying me.”

“But like a phoenix you rose from your own ashes, Regina….why else do you think that Coraline is called the Survivor?  She is the perfect embodiment of both of you.  She overcame her upbringing and the prophecy of her destiny.  She fought to protect her family at all costs.  She uses magic to help her achieve these goals.  She doesn’t apologize for her antics and her approach in solving a problem she is facing.  She goes at it head on and uses the most powerful means necessary in order for her to get the outcome that she wants.  She is your daughter.”

“That she is,” Regina stated with a slight smirk on her face.  “She truly is my Phoenix.”

“Can you let her do this?” Snow asked her, watching Regina’s eyes.

“It isn’t a matter if I can, Snow.  It is a matter of will I allow her to do it.  I don’t see where I really have a choice in the matter.  She sees this as the only way in which she can stop her past from becoming our future.  It isn’t something that I want to do, nor is it something that I am taking lightly,” Regina told as she turned to look down at Coraline’s sleeping face.

“Do you think she knew this would be the outcome?” Snow questioned.

“No, I don’t.  If she did, she wouldn’t have come.  Who willing goes to their death like this?”

“Many in myths,” Snow countered.

“But, this isn’t a myth, Snow.  This is our flesh and blood.  This is your granddaughter.  She is willing to give up her life force in order for Neal to live.  How do I tell her no?  How do I convince that there must be some other way to stop this?  Snow…I can’t.  I have looked.  I don’t understand it any more than she does, but she seems to know that this is the only way to do it.”

“Have you asked her why?”

“Why what?” Regina quipped.

“Why she thinks that,” Snow stated.

“No, I honestly haven’t had time to process it all,” she answered as she rubbed her hand over her face willing herself to not get a migraine from all of this.

“I will owe you again for this,” Snow mused.

“How so?”

“I am the reason that Daniel died.  I am the reason that your mother is dead.  I will be the reason that Coraline dies.  Once again, I find myself being the cause of your misery.”

“You didn’t kill Daniel, Snow.  It took me a long time to realize that.  I was angry…Hell, I was livid with you for not being able to keep a secret.  But it was my mother that killed him.  She is the one that took his life.  As far as my mother’s death, I already told you that living with that regret is penance enough.  I tried to kill her on several occasions.  Saving Neal isn’t going to hinder us any.  It is only going to help us ensure that we don’t have to fight the Blackness.”

“How can you be so sure, Regina?”

“Because I know that Coraline will still be born.”

“I understand that, but how can you know that the Blackness won’t still come?” Snow asked.

Regina sat back and rubbed Red a little harder.  She hadn’t actually thought about that.  She had been so worried about Emma and Coraline that she hadn’t asked.  She wasn’t sure that she wanted to know. 

“I don’t,” Regina told her.

“Then how can you just do this without knowing?” Snow asked worried about their final outcome and how they would all react.

“Because I know,” Coraline told them, starting to sit up in the bed.

Regina and Snow immediately turned their attention to the girl.  Red perked up and leaned forward to put her head on Coraline’s cot.  She looked over at Regina and gave her a small smile.  Coraline didn’t know how long they had been there, but she knew it had been long enough for them to discuss her choice.

“Are you going to stop me?” Coraline questioned Regina directly.

“No, Darling, I won’t.”

“And, you?” she asked turning to look at Snow.

“No, I can’t.”

“Will Emma?” Coraline inquired.

“I don’t know,” Regina answered matter-of-factly.

“What about Will?”

“I’ve told her that I would order her to do it if I had to,” Regina told her.

“How did she take that?”

“Not well, as I knew she wouldn’t.  But, she understands, I think.  I am not sure that we all are happy with this decision, but we know that it seems to be the only way that we can do this and get the outcome that we all want.  I won’t tell you that we want to do it, Coraline.  I can’t, but I know that you will live on,” Regina told her.

“I am sorry,” Coraline told her.

“Don’t apologize for this.  You are doing what we have been doing since your mother broke my curse.  We have been battling to have some sort of normal life, but we wouldn’t change that.  It has brought us closer together.  I can’t regret what we’ve been through, because it has made us stronger.  Are there things that I wish we didn’t have to fight?  Yes, but without them, your mother and I might have never realized what we mean to each other.  We love each other and we do what we do to protect that.  You are just following in our footsteps.  Do I like that?  No, but I also know that it doesn’t matter what I tell you because you aren’t going to change your mind.”

Coraline looked at her mother.  She could see the sadness in her mahogany eyes.  There was an understanding and a lot of pain reflected between the two.  She knew that she needed to make amends and speak with each of them individually.  She turned from Regina to Snow.

“I need to talk to everyone alone.”

“I understand,” Regina told her.

“I’ll go.  I’ll make sure that everyone is okay.  Do you think that we should get dinner together?” Snow asked them both, hoping for a positive answer.

“I shouldn’t leave the Abbey.  I don’t know how much longer I can continue to battle the darkness that is inside me.  Don’t, Mom.  It isn’t your fault.  You couldn’t have known and neither could I.  Rumple was a troubled man.”

“What about dinner, then, Coraline?” Regina asked her.

“Bring something here.  Then I can talk to everyone.  Just remember I love you.  This is my choice.  You need to take care of each other.  We are a family and we must stay together.  That is how we will continue to defeat the darkness,” Coraline told them.

Regina took her hand and squeezed it.  Red nuzzled Coraline’s side with her snout.  Snow stood up and walked towards the door to the small cloister room.  Red nosed her again and Coraline pet her head.  Once Coraline stopped, Red turned and followed Snow out of the room leaving Coraline and Regina alone.

“What do you need me to tell you, Mom?”

“I don’t know,” Regina told her.  The vein in her forehead popped as she looked into her daughter’s chocolate eyes.  She held Coraline’s hand.  She knew that she was passing her magic through the connection, similarly to way she had with Emma, and she knew that Coraline could feel it.  She could only hope that it would be enough to help Coraline hold on a little longer.  Regina was not ready to let her go.  It didn’t matter that she was pregnant.  It was still her daughter lying in the bed, hurting and fighting, but still willing to give up her heart to save her young uncle. 

“I need to know why you know that this is the best way.  Can you tell me that?  We’ve done research for months and now you know that giving Neal your heart is the way to stop everything.  How?  Can you tell me?  Can you make me understand?” Regina asked her.

“I am not sure that you are ready to hear it.”

“I know that Neal only has a half a heart.  I know that he is the key.  It makes sense to me.  I can understand how Snow would go to the Dark One’s liar in order to get the power that she needs in order to try to save him.  She fails of course and causes the Blackness to ravage the land.  But, how did you come by the information without talking to Snow.  How did you find out when I just put everything together?”

“I was told.”

“By?” Regina asked.

“I don’t think that I should tell you, but I know that you aren’t going to take that as an answer.  You need to know and I understand that.  I appreciate it.  But, before I tell you everything that I know now, I need you to promise me something,” Coraline told her.

“Anything that you need, darling,” Regina answered.

“I need you to keep Will in your vault, in that room that you don’t think I know about.”

“How?  You know what, don’t answer that.  Why would I need to do that?” Regina questioned.

“Because I want you to allow Red to dispose of my body.”

Regina just stared at her.  She tried to figure out what Coraline was getting at.  Her daughter seemed to be one step ahead of them from the time she got to Storybrooke.  She wondered how long Coraline actually knew how to stop the Blackness.  Has she just been working with them in order to lead them to the inevitable outcome?  Or had she been working by the seat of her pants, too?  Did her sensibility come from Regina or Emma in that respect?

“Don’t think about it too much, Mom.  I just need you to agree to keep her there so that what needs to be done can be done without her interference.  She will fight you both on what I am going to ask you to do and I know that Ma might help her.  I need to know that she won’t be a problem.  Can you do that?”

“I could order her.”

“So could Red, but neither of you will in your grief.”

“Our grief?” Regina inquired.

“We both know that I am going to die to do this.  You can’t tell me that you aren’t going to grieve my death.  I know that you are pregnant and I am in there right now growing strong.  That doesn’t mean that you aren’t going to be stricken because I will be gone.  You know that.  You are human and have strong emotions, no matter how much you try to hide them.”

“I do.”

“That is why I need you to do this.  I know that you are the only one with enough compulsion to do as I ask.  Emma is too emotional.  She won’t agree with you, but if you stay the course she will.  She is going to need you to stay strong.  So is Will.  Snow and Red are going to be best to help you with this.  I know that this isn’t something that you want.  I don’t either, Mom, but there really is no other way.  We both know that there is no way for me to go back to my timeline.  It doesn’t exist anymore.  We’ve done too much now.  And, I wouldn’t know what to do if we did find a way to send me back to whatever future may be awaiting me there.  I can’t go back with this darkness inside me.  It would just unleash itself on the future.  We need to stop it, now!”

“I agree.  I understand.  What else do you need of me?”

“I know that I am making Will do the transfer, but after that she needs be immobilized.”

“For three days?” Regina questioned.

“Yes, and this is why.  After three days, you will have to go to Neal and take his heart, leaving mine behind.  You will come back to me, but I will not be at the cloisters.  Red will have my body by then.  She will tell you where to take it.  You will reinsert his heart into me and I will take his fate.  I will surrender my life for his and I will officially die.”

“Three days?”

“My body won’t survive the transfer and we both know it.”

“But, three days?” Regina questioned.

“I will need that time in order to prepare for what else has to be done.  Please don’t ask me to explain.  I won’t.  You don’t need to know.”

“You mean you don’t want me to know,” Regina replied.

“Well…yes, there is that, but I also don’t want you to see it.  It won’t be pleasant.  I know that this isn’t how I wanted things to go.  I wish that I could have spent more time with you both.  I wanted to know you both better.  I wanted to be a family, but I know that everything that I have done these last few months has been to make sure that happens,” Coraline explained.

“How do you know, Coraline?  Give me something.  I need to know.  I need to understand why we are going to do this your way.  I will do as you ask, but tell me how you know,” Regina begged her explain her reasoning.

“There is so much that I still don’t understand, Mom.  How can I explain it?  I was told by someone from your new future.  Isn’t that enough?  You’re still wondering who they are, and I get that.  You’re wondering why I trust them.  I get that, too.  But, I guess you’ll just have to believe that I know what I am doing is the right thing.  I know that it hurts.  I know that it isn’t going to be painful and that it is going suck royally, but I am still willing to do it anyway.  You had your convictions about killing Snow, but you never succeeded, why?” Coraline asked her turning the tables on her own mother in the end.

“Because she was always one step ahead of me,” Regina told her.

“No, because you couldn’t personally do it.  You never could, because every time you looked at her you saw that scared little girl who's spooked almost killed her.  You were with her in the woods, living as a peasant and injured, but even when you had the chance you hesitated.  Do you know why?” Coraline asked her.

“No,” Regina answered, wondering where her daughter was going with this line of thought.

“Because secretly you loved her and she loved you.  She showed you something that you had been searching for years, something that your own mother couldn’t give you: unconditional love.  Even when she hated you, she couldn’t hurt you.  She banished you instead of killing you.  She stopped your execution.  She willingly tried to sacrifice herself, not just because she wanted to protect the kingdom and Charming, but because she figured it was the only way to make your pain stop.  She came to you at Daniel’s grave because she cared enough for the both of you.”

“What does that have to do with anything now?”

“She told you the truth about Neal’s heart.  She came to you with her realization and hoped that you would help her find a way to stop the future that I, her granddaughter and your daughter, had to live through.  She knew that you would put things together and realize why Snow wasn’t at the final battle.  She had pulled maps based on what I told her.  We all had, but she was the first one to put it together because she lived in those woods.  For years those woods protected her from you, but now, she needed you to know their secrets to protect her from herself.”

“I still don’t –“

“I don’t expect you to.  I need you to look inside your heart and realize that she forgave you a long time ago.  I need you to realize that you did the same thing that day on your porch when you ripped her heart out.  You forgave her and your relationship changed.  She wanted a mother, but you wanted a friend.  You both got what you wanted, but you both had to fight each other and the world to get it.  Has she not come to you for advice on Neal?”

“She has.”

“Has she not done everything in her power to help me?”

“I believe that she has.”

“Then forgive yourself for not finding the answers that you want.  Our family is connected and it will continue to be connected, through you.  You are the reason that the House of Swan rises.  You are the reason that peace will be forged and the kingdoms will unite.  You are that reason.  You and you alone have the power to save us all, but you have to want it.”

“I do want it,” Regina mumbled.

“Then you have to let me go now, so that I may live and thrive in this grand new world that you will help build.  The first five years that I have with you are glorious in my memories. I can only imagine the world that she will have,” Coraline told her, pointing at Regina’s womb.  “She will not know fear like I have.   She will have her family and she will continue the line.  Things will be peaceful but adventurous for us all.  She will be the Survivor, but she will have a group of cousins, siblings, and friends that will be by her side helping to guide her to her new destiny.”

“Which is?” Regina asked, worried for her.

“To live…”

Regina smiled at her daughter.  She knew that she was right.  They needed to carry on and live.  They would be prepared for whatever may come and they would fight it head on like they always had.  Coraline would just be younger, but she would still be with them.  That is what her head knew, but her heart wasn’t so sure of it.

“Coraline…”

“Mom, please.”

“I don’t understand how this is so easy for you,” Regina told her, tears in her eyes.

“Do you think that this is easy for me?  It isn’t.  I didn’t come here to die.  I came here to stop the Blackness.  I’ve fought for so long to see your faces and then I had it.  I had it all, but I couldn’t keep it.  I knew that.  I had to figure out how to stop my future from becoming a reality.  Why do you think that I hid for so long as Belle’s baby sister?  Why do you think that I went to Tink and Blue in order to work on my magic?  It was too hard to see you and not tell you who I was.  Do you think that it was fun walking around town, faking that accent, in order for you to believe that I wasn’t your daughter?  How the Hell no one noticed before I ‘came out’ as your daughter I still don’t know, but it happened.  I have good memories now of my family.  I am proud of who I am, who I come from and who I am meant to be.  Please don’t take that from me, again.  We will be happy, Mom.  You just have to believe,” Coraline told her.

“Ever the Charming, Darling,” Regina mused.

“That I am, but I am also a Mills.  I am a forced to be reckoned with.  I feel things with all my heart.  And, I am willing to do whatever it takes in order to protect the family I love.  Can you still do the same?  Because that is what I need my mothers to do.  I need them to let me do this.”


	49. Chapter 49

Red paced outside the cloisters still in her wolf form.  She found comfort in it and right now that is what she needed.  She needed comfort.  She was in pain and she was watching everyone else around her be in pain.  She didn’t know how to stop.  There wasn’t anything that she could do to stop it.  And, that didn’t sit well with her.  She needed to do something.  She needed to act, but she couldn’t.  There was nothing for her to do but wait.

She finally sat down as she watched Emma pace.  The young blond was talking with her mother, Snow.  They were both pacing.  Red could hear their conversation but she knew that no one else there could.  Sometimes being a Wolf sucked, especially now as she continued to watch her best friends’ and her sister’s life be torn apart…again.

She perked up a little when she heard Snow tell Emma to scream or yell at her.  Snow was blaming herself for something.  Did Snow think that she was cause of this? 

Red shook her head and lowered it to the cement.  The coolness of the slightly damp concrete penetrated her fur, but it didn’t make her cold.  She saw that everyone else was bundled up in a light jacket.  Winter wasn’t far off and she knew that her fur was thicker, but she didn’t care.  She would lay outside on the stoop of the Abbey every day if it meant that Coraline wouldn’t have to die.  Silently she continued to watch as they each processed the information that Coraline and Regina had given them not thirty minutes before. 

She sniffed the air trying to figure out if anyone had left.  She knew that David and Neal were behind her, near the doors.  Charming hadn’t moved far from them since they exited the building.  She turned her heard to follow the path that Emma and Snow were still pacing.  She felt Will nearby, but knew that her cousin didn’t want to be around anyone.  They were all waiting for their turn to say goodbye to Coraline.

She quickly moved her head in the other direction and found Belle crying.  She wanted to go to her, but she didn’t know what to say.  Belle was losing her sister all over again.  And, while Regina and Emma would be losing their adult version of their daughter, in a few months they would have a baby Coraline on their hands.  Belle would have nothing. 

Red puffed.  She was utterly useless.  There was no one to maim.  There was nothing to look into.  There was only certain death that would bring life and hope in two ways: Neal and Remy. 

She blustered as a hand found her back and began to smooth her fur.  She realized that it was Henry from the smell, but she couldn’t remember him coming out with them.  He had stayed behind at Coraline’s wish.  He was the first to receive her goodbye.

“She wants to see you,” he told her quietly.

Red blew out hard.  She shook her body and head, but made no move to head back inside the Abbey.  Instead, she leaned more into Henry’s waiting hand.

“She needs us to be strong for her,” he started again.

She turned her head to look into his hazel eyes.  Her yellow eyes looked that man-cub that he was and realized that he was breaking just as much as they were.  No one had seen it though.  He was fighting the tears in his eyes.  He was losing his sister but gaining a bigger family.  She could see the war of emotions in his eyes.

“She told me that she loved me.”

Red leaned into him as hard as she could.  He needed comfort and he needed it badly.  He was watching his family break before him and for once, he didn’t know how to mend it.

“She loves us all, you know, and that is why she is doing this,” he said as he pet her neck.

He buried his fingers into her fur and fisted his hand.  She felt the tightening and pull, but she wasn’t going to stop him.  She relished the pain in that moment, because she knew that she wasn’t alone in how she felt.  Henry was keeping her grounded.

“I am the Truest Believer, but I don’t know how we will survive this, Ruby.  She’s my baby sister.  I shouldn’t be mourning her before her own birth,” he mused.  “How am I supposed to deal with that?  Am I just supposed to accept that in the Spring she will be here again?”

Red understood what he was saying, and she understood his pain.  She rubbed her head against him.  She gave him the only comfort that she could.  She would be there for him.  She would be there for them all, because that was who she was.  She could be there for them and help them navigate through their grief.  She would grieve, but she would do it her way, in the woods, alone.

“Are you going to go in?” Henry asked her, still petting her fur.

She just rubbed her head against him again.  She would, but she would go on her own time.  The only thing that was making this easier for her was the fact that Coraline would live on as Remy once she was born.  Time was going to heal them all, but Red knew that it would be more than that.  Remy as a baby would bring them closer together again.  She could see how Coraline’s death was going to break them apart, but it would be Remy that brought them together again.  Red could only hope that they survived long enough, and each other’s wrath, to see what a blessing Regina and Emma’s daughter really was.  She was going to heal them all as she saved Neal and his broken heart. 

“You should go in,” Henry told her.

She turned and looked up into his hazel eyes.  She could see his tears threatening to fall, but just like Regina, he’d learned to school himself in front of everyone.  She nudged him with her muzzle a few times until she saw the tears fall.  Once she saw them, she laid her head on his leg.

“Red, you have to help me keep them together,” he sobbed.

She licked his hand and nuzzled his stomach.  He gave her a brief smile.  He pet her again, then stood up.  He walked over to where Regina and Will had been standing, just off into the periphery.  She stood up and headed for the door.

Blue smiled at her as she entered the Abbey.  She padded down the hallway to the cloisters.  Tink was standing outside Coraline’s room.  She eyed Red as she approached.  When her yellow eyes met those of the green fairy, she saw the clothes that Belle had brought with her. 

She twisted her head from side to side.  She shook her body and sat down before the door.  She let out a whiney breath as she watched Tink set the clothes down in a chair just outside the door.

“She’s waitin’ for you, Red.  You might want to phase though.  Not sure that she wants to talk to a Wolf instead of her Aunt Ruby, but that’s your choice.  Belle brought these for you,” Tink told her as she ruffled her scruffy neck.  “I’ll watch over them outside with Blue.  Talk to her.”

Red nodded her head and sat back on her haunches.  Tink watched as her eyes faded back to hazel from their yellow.  Ruby slow stood up and shook her body.  Fazing in the open wasn’t something that she liked to do, but she had been a Wolf for so long in the past few days that she didn’t care.  She looked at the clothes and put them on.  She wasn’t surprised to see her jeans, but she was surprised to see her red and black plaid shirt with a white undershirt.  She knew that Belle had to go to the back of her closet to get that.  It was comfortable and she figured that was what Belle was going for.  She knew how she got after being a Wolf for a while, especially so close to the full moon.  She left the black leather jacket outside the cloister room as she entered.

“Hey there, kiddo,” Ruby said as she went over to the cot and sat next to it.

“Hey, Aunt Ruby,” Coraline answered.

“Whoa there, Kid.  Don’t go getting all formal on me.  Henry said that you wanted to talk to me next.  I am not sure what else you need to tell me.  Don’t you think that you should be talking to your Mom and Ma and not me?’ Ruby asked her.

“Not this time,” Coraline told her.

“So what’s up beyond the obvious?”

“I missed being able to talk to you like this.”

“Like this?”

“Yes, we used to talk back when I was in the Enchanted Forest.  It was refreshing once I got over myself.  I guess we had a lot in common that way.  You taught me so much, but the most important thing that you taught me was love of family.  I may not have known who you really were, but you never let wonder if you loved me or not.”

“I would hope not.  There is a lot about you to love, Coraline.  But, this doesn’t have to do with that.  You want me to tell you goodbye,” Ruby explained.

“No, not yet.”

“Then, what?”

“I need you to do something that might be hard for you, but you are the only one that I trust with this assignment,” Coraline stated.

Ruby looked down at her niece.  Her normally blue eyes were an odd shade of grey-blue and there was a hardness behind them that Ruby hadn’t seen since before Rumple kicked her out of Belle’s old house.  She reached out and took Coraline’s hand.  She leaned forward, trying to will comfort to her, but wondering what was on her mind.

“I need you to do this, because you are the only one who will follow my wishes completely.  I’ve asked Will to take my heart and give it to Neal.  I know that she is going to have a problem with that, but that is where Mom comes in.  She’ll be there for her to help and urge her on if necessary.  Ma and Snow are going to be with Neal.  I need you to stay with me and guard my body.  I know that sounds easy, but it really won’t be,” Coraline told her.

“You want me to guard your body?  Why?  Why would I need to do that?”

Coraline pushed up a little on the bed until she was sitting.  She reached down under the cape that was still covering and pulled out three vials.  She held them up.  In one of them, she could see a blond and a brunette hair.  In another, there were two brunette hairs.  The third vial was empty.  They both watched as the two full ones.  The hairs were dancing with each other and there was a pink light emitting from them.

“What are those?” Ruby asked.

“These are True Love Potions.”

“Uh, why do you have them?” Ruby questioned.

“Because you are going to need them.”

“Huh?”

“I know that you are with Belle.  It is obvious, but it is beautiful at the same time.  Have you forgotten the day in the diner when I told you that you would get her?  Well, now you have.”

“What does that have to do with those?”

“In a few years, you are going to go to Mom and you are going to ask her for help.  She isn’t going to know what to do.  She is going to have to create a new spell for you.  These vials are going to help you.  In this one, there are hairs from both Mom and Ma.  This other one has a hair from both me and Will.  This empty one is for you and Belle.”

“Okay, but why?” Ruby inquired.

“When the time comes, you will blend the three and you will get your wish,” Coraline said.

“And, what wish would that be?” Ruby asked her taking the vials and putting them into her shirt pocket for safe keeping.

“I don’t know if I should tell you.”

“You’re giving me ingredients for a spell so you might as well tell me why.”

“You’ve got a point.  Years from now, we will either be back in the Enchanted Forest or still living here, but in a field there will be a monument standing.  There will be a name on it but that is all there is.  There will be no trees, only grass surrounding it.”

“So, what’s so special about it?”

“It will be the marker for my grave.”

Ruby felt her breath leave her body.  She didn’t understand why Coraline was being so nonchalant about this.  She was talking about her death like it didn’t mean anything.  She was watching her and wondering.  She could see the sadness in Coraline’s eyes. 

“Um…”

“You asked.”

“I did,” Ruby replied.  “So tell me more about this.  What does this have to do with me and the vials?  Do I have to open some crazy portal and send you through it?”

“No, nothing like that.  The monument will be something that you erect.  I don’t want to be buried in the Mausoleum.  I know that Mom will be upset by this, but I can’t be there.  Remy will be taking my place.  She shouldn’t know that she was dead before she was ever born.”

“O-kay…”

“Mom and Ma will still want a place to visit.  While Remy and I will be the same person, we will have different experiences.  They…you all will see me in her, but she will not be exactly me.  That is where you come in.  That monument will be built while my heart is in Neal’s chest and only you will know its location.  You’ll have three days to complete it, but it will be enough.  The base is already built for you,” Coraline told her.

“What?”

“The well…”

“You want me to bury you in the magic well?”

“Yes, and seal it,” Coraline answered.

“Why?” Ruby asked, her face scrunched up with the question. 

“Because you are the only one strong enough.  Before you deposit my body in the well, you will need to take water from it and fill each of the vials.  Those vials are the keys to the succession of the House of Swan, Ruby.  Those vials will help create a new generation of knights to protect the family, but there is one is particular that will be needed.”

“Who?”

“Your daughter,” Coraline said without qualm.

“Why are you telling me about this now?”

“Because you need to know.  She will be known as the Swan Wolf and she will be fierce.  Eyes of blue like her mother and reddish-brown hair.  She will be a force for good and she will make sure that Remy and Will have the life that they deserve together.  She will protect Henry and his wife and their children.  She will be the first knight and she will be the new Alpha of the pack.”

“My daughter?” Ruby inquired with tears in her eyes.

“She’s beautiful, but without those vials, she’ll not exist.”

Ruby sat back.  She didn’t know what to say to that.  She looked around the room trying to find something that would help her stay grounded.  She kept coming back to Coraline.  She looked into her brown eyes and saw those of Regina.  She truly was Regina’s redemption and happy ending in the flesh.  There was no denying it, but Ruby was still on the fence about her own.

“Look, I know that you are still troubled by the darkness inside you because you are a Wolf.  You’re looking for answers that I cannot give you, Rubes.  But, you will have a daughter.  She will be a Wolf and she will lead an elite group of knights in the kingdom.  I don’t know why and I don’t know when but you will still all be sent back to the Enchanted Forest.  Things will be different there.  You will serve both Queens.  Snow and Regina will rule two kingdoms.  Henry might inherit both or just Regina and Emma’s.  At this point, I don’t know because I know that Neal lives.  You have to understand that your role in this matter is crucial into making that future a reality.  I need your help above everyone else in this.  You are going to have the biggest pain in the ass and thankless job in all of this,” Coraline explained.

“Yeah, and what is that?”

“I need you to guard my body.”

Their eyes met and held.  Coraline reached out for her aunt’s hand and held it.  She felt her body go warm and she hoped that the warmth would penetrate Ruby’s heart.  She needed her to do this.  Without it, the whole mission would be lost and the Darkness would still come.  There was no way to explain in completely and make everyone understand.  Coraline knew this now.  She had to be the one that stopped it and she had to be the one that took it to the grave with her.  She had looked.  She’d tried.  But, now there was no other way around it.  She had to die in order to save them all.  It was her price to pay in order to get the family she wanted and she would pay it gladly.  She could only hope that they would understand it all in the end.

“Guard your body?  From what?  From who?”

“Everyone…”

“I don’t understand.”

“I don’t expect you to right now, Ruby.  I really don’t.  I just need to know that you can do this for me.  Can you do that?” Coraline asked her.

“Yes, Coraline, I will.”

“Then, I will explain it all to you.  You might want to get comfy.  This is going to take a while…”  Coraline told her as she shifted on the cot.

Ruby sat back.  She shifted in the chair.  Her eyes flashed yellow as she fought her on own want to phase back into her Wolf.  She knew that Coraline could see it.  The girl knew more about her than Ruby knew and she knew that Coraline was waiting for her to tell her to continue.

“So…you were saying something about a long story,” Ruby stated.

“I did.  But it isn’t the story that you need to hear, Aunt Ruby.  There is more that I need to tell you about what I need you to do.  Do you think that you can listen?  Then, I will tell you the tale.  Is that something you can do?” Coraline asked her as she lay back down on the cot.

“I will stay here with you until you ask me to leave,” Ruby answered.

“I know.  You are fiercely loyal to this family, not only because it is yours.  They have earned your friendship.  I know that Snow was the first, but the others have fallen in line and joined your motely pack.  You will be feared for your ability but you will be respected because of your position amongst Snow’s Army and being Regina’s younger sister.”

“Everyone already knows that,” Ruby stated.

“It is that loyalty that I call upon now.  Let me explain what will actually happen.  I know that Mom will come to you to explain part of this again to you, but don’t worry, she will not know the full extent of what I am asking you.  No one but you will and you will take that information to your daughter and no one else.  She is the only one to know what I am about to tell you.”

“I understand.”

“Do you?  Because if you don’t, then all of this might be for naught.  What we are going to do will keep the Darkness at bay and allow our family to leave in peace even after we are all sucked through a portal to the Enchanted Forest.  No one can ever know what really happened to protect them, Red, not even Mom,” Coraline told her.

“As a Child of the Moon, I give you my word.”

“I will hold you to that.

“To keep back the Darkness, it needs a host.  The only problem with that is that the host has to be willing.  Emma wasn’t willing.  She gave up her life in order to spare us the pain of her becoming the Dark One, but that didn’t appease the Darkness.  It looked for a new host.”

“A new host?”

“Yes, a new host.  It has found me.  It needed a body and it took mine.  I have willingly let it.”

“WHY?!?!?” Ruby demanded.

“Because I am not meant to survive this, Red.  I came here to stop it and with my death I will.  I need to know that you can support me in this.”

“I…I…you’re asking me to let you die.”

“I am asking you to kill me…”

“What?”

“The course of events that will happen will be as follows: Will will take my heart.  You will guard my body while my heart is gone for three days.  During that time, Will and Emma will be guarding Neal and allowing my heart to merge with his body.  Mom will be doing what she can so that she can remove his broken heart so that it my body can take it.  The three days are important.  You cannot forget that.  After the three days that my heart has been in his body and it has successfully joined with him, his heart will be removed by Mom and brought back to me.  It is then that you will take my body away and hide it from them all.  You are to do this because you are the strongest of them.  You will not cave to the ramblings of madness that will spill from me once I have Neal’s heart,” Coraline explained.

“How do you know that?”

“Because we know each other better than anyone else.  I may be Regina’s daughter and have her temper, but I have Emma’s resilience and determination.  You and Belle are the closet things to parents that I ever really had.  No, don’t argue with me on that point.  I am closer to you both than I am to my own mothers.  I know that it was circumstances that made it so, but that doesn’t stop the fact that I know what you are capable of and what you are willing to do.”

“What do you mean?”

“You never stopped looking for Regina.  Never.  Every full moon you phased and trekked the ends of our world to find anything that would lead you to her or her body.  You never found anything and because of that, you never gave up hope that your sister was alive.  Belle tried to understand your need to search, but she couldn’t.  She was never that close with her family.  The only one she was close with like that was her own mother and she watched her die.  She understood my pain but she just figured that everyone was dead.  She didn’t need the proof like we did.  You held out belief that one day I would return to the Winterland castle and I would take my place as Queen, but in doing so, you hoped that Regina would be there.  You wanted her to crown me.”

“I would.”

“I know that, which is why I need you to do this for me.”

“What must I do?”

“Once you have taken body, you will take it to the shrine that you have built out of the old well in the woods.  There despite what I tell you or what I do, you will place me in the well and you will seal it.  There will be no escape for me or the Darkness.  We will trap it in the well and I will have saved everyone.  My fate will be rewritten and Remy will grow up with knowing her mothers and her entire family.  There will be no Darkness to come claim her.  She will gladly be a princess and she will become Wilhelmina’s wife.  Together they will rebuild the Vulcannonian nation.  Henry will assume the throne of the Winterlands and he will have Neal assume the throne of the Summerlands.  They will rule side by side.  But, they will need an ally to help them keep the peace with other kingdoms that will seek to divide them.”

“Lemme guess, this is where I come in?”

“Something like that.  You are the Alpha.  You will take your place among the packs of the Forest and you will unite them under a single banner.  They will become an elite army for the Kingdoms of the Light.  They will be known as White Lupins.  Their leader will be the Swan Wolf, your daughter.  She will assume the role of Alpha after your death, but before then she will be a strong warrior for the kingdoms.  Beside her will be the children of the Vulcannon.”

“What will be my part in all this?” Red asked her, yellow eyes flashing.

“You will be the first knight that Emma crowns.  You will be by their side always.  You will help them garner peace among the nations, but in order for that to happen…”

“I have to help you die…”

“Yes.”

“And, what am I supposed to do with that?  How am I supposed to look Regina in the eye knowing that I am the one that killed her daughter?  Her only blood child?  How am I supposed to live with that?  Can you tell me that?”

“You are going to write the story of Coraline the Brave.  You will be the only one that knows where the shrine of her body is.  You will protect that as will all the wolves that join your packs.  And, when it comes time, you will name your daughter Daniella Coraline Lucas, the Swan Wolf.  She will continue your mission and she will live up to the name of Coraline,” she replied.

“My daughter?”

“That is all you got from that?” Coraline asked with a small giggle.

Coraline sat up again.  She grimaced as she moved.  She could feel the darkness flowing through her.  She closed her eyes and willed it back down.  She wasn’t going to succumb to it, now.

“Does it hurt?” Ruby asked her.

“It is like fire in my blood.”

Ruby watched as her eyes flicked from green to brown to green again.  Then, they softened to their normal honeyed mahogany.  She watched as Coraline shivered and shook on the cot, even in her sitting position.  To her credit, she never complained about it.

“Are you cold?”

“Quite the opposite, but I cannot relinquish the cloak or I will give in to the power of the Darkness.  It is repairing the damage that the Darkness creates almost as fast as it hurts me.  It is keeping me in the light for the moment.  I need you to help me transition from the light into the darkness, Ruby.  You are the only one that understand the pull and how easy it is to give into it.”

“So do both of your Moms.”

“But they did it out of love, not nature…”

Ruby gasps at her statement, but doesn’t reply.  She had been fighting her darkness since she realized that she was a wolf.  What did Coraline know about that?

“How do you know that?” Ruby stated.

“You aren’t the only one that wants to give in and maim the populace.  You used to have to keep me in check with the denizens of refugees.  It wasn’t that I wanted to kill them all.  I just wanted to prove myself and sometimes I went about it in the wrong way.  I guess I had more Wolf teaching in me than I thought.  I wanted to be the Alpha and I didn’t know why.  It wasn’t until later that you and Belle explained that I was the Swan Princess.  That I was the missing heir to the throne.  That I would be the one that united us together and defeat the Darkness,” Coraline explained to her before her body racked with coughs and pain.

“You’ve done that, though,” Ruby replied.

“I guess I have.  It just wasn’t in my timeline, but yours.  Either way, we will prevail.  I’ve come to understand it is what we ‘Charmings’ do,” she stated with a slight laugh.

“Don’t let your Mom hear you say that,” Ruby mused with a smile on her face. 

“She gets over that.”

“I don’t think that she will ever really get over that, Coraline.  I think she’ll just learn to hide it better for your and Emma’s sakes.  She loves you too much not to,” Ruby answered.

They both got quiet.  It was like their conversation had run its course.  Coraline wasn’t sure what else she could tell Ruby without giving too much away.  Ruby wasn’t sure that she trusted herself to say anything.  She seriously thought that she might lose her temper if she tried to convince Coraline that her plan was preposterous.

“You don’t agree with me,” Coraline stated more than asked.

“You want me to practically bury you alive in a water well that has restorative magic.”

“It works,” Coraline said.

“Because my daughter told you it did.  How can we believe that?  How do we know for sure?”

“Because I am starting to lose my memories…”

Ruby just stared at her.  This was not something that she wanted to hear.  She’d seen a lot of movies during the twenty-eight years she was cursed.  Of course, she didn’t remember many of them until she’d watched them again with Emma and Mary Margaret on girls’ nights.  She knew what that meant.  She knew that Coraline had a limited time in their timeline.  She’d come back from her future to change the outcome and now she had…completely.

“I’ll do as you ask, but not because of the reasons that you’ve asked me,” Ruby told her.

“Rubes, at this point, I don’t care what your reasons are as long as it happens.  I have to be in that well as soon as I receive Neal’s broken heart.  You cannot tell Mom or Ma where you are taking me.  I’ve already explained that to Mom, but Ma is going to be harder.  She is going to push you…hard.  We all know it.  She isn’t going to let go of me willingly.”

“She’s found her family here.  She’ll die for them and you know it.  Hell, it seems like she’s done it twice for you, kiddo.  I guess being the savior is going to stay in the family, huh?”

“Not in your children’s lifetime…the potential will be there, but they should have a quiet life.  Without the Darkness of the Dark One, there will not be an epic great evil for them to fight.  Don’t get me wrong though.  There will still be wars and squabbles of unimportant shit.  That cannot be avoided.  But, they will keep the peace among the Winter and the Summerland and they will rule the Enchanted Forest as benevolent force for good.  After all, I’ll be there to help them,” Coraline stated with an amused look on her face.

“How long do I have?”

“Before my death?” Coraline asked.

“No, before I have to guard your body.”

“Three days,” Coraline answered.

“You like threes don’t you.”

“You have no idea.  You will, too.  Given the right amount of time.  So will Snow and Charming.  Even Mom and Ma will get in on the threes.  Trust me.  It is an important number for our families,” Coraline replied.

“You marry Will and add Vulcannon to the kingdoms, don’t you?” Ruby asked with a quirk.

“Yes, but you have to act surprised.”

“Kiddo, I think that everyone knows that you are going to marry Wilhelmina.  The woman wants to destroy the Earth to save you.  She is going to be harder to deal with than Emma.”

“Not really,” Coraline stated.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you are the Alpha of the pack and Mom will order her to let you do what has to be done.  Trust me.  Mom isn’t going to leave anything to chance.  She might try to poof to where you are, but I’m going to talk to her again.  I have a little time to convince her further to let you do what has to be done,” Coraline told her.

“She isn’t convinced?”

“I didn’t really elaborate on why I was choosing you.  She knows that you will be guarding my body for three days and then she will put Neal’s heart inside me.  She doesn’t know that it will effectively kill me in the process.  I can’t tell her that and neither can you.  She has to think that I am dead before that.  But, that is  a job for someone else.”

“Who all do you have involved in this little adventure?”

“Everyone?”

“You don’t sound so sure about that.”

“The people that need to know, know, Ruby.”

“Are you going to say goodbye to everyone?”

“I do have three days,” Coraline told her.

“Actually, you have six,” Ruby quipped.

“So little less than a week, but yes, I will tell everyone that is relevant goodbye.”

“But the town?”

“Only needs to know that another curse was stopped.  I want you to celebrate my life, Ruby, not mourn it.  I know that I’ve only been with you less than a year, but for me it has been longer.  I know that it is going to hurt.  Do you think that I am not in any pain?  I am and not just the physical pain of the Darkness trying to take me over.  There is more to it than that and everyone knows it.  We just don’t want to talk about it because everyone wants to believe that once I take on Neal’s problems that I’ll leave because of the Resurrection Cloak.  But, you of all beings, should know how that even the Vulcannonian cloaks have their limitations.  Magic can battle magic, but there are some magics that are just plain stronger,” Coraline explained.

“I think that we all know that, Coraline.  I know that is the reason that you are trying to harness the power of True Love.  I mean, three vials, three couples…and each one is a couple of True Love.  What are you planning with that?  And, why do you need me to watch over the vials?”

Coraline smiled up at her aunt.  Ruby had finally caught on to the one fact that she had just glossed over.  She wondered how long it was going to take the Wolf to realize that she was going to have a lasting job.  What Ruby didn’t know was that in guarding those vials, she would be guarding her own offspring.  Belle was sure going to be surprised later.

“Each vial is important in its own way.  And, when the time is right, you will go to Mom.  She will help you.  That is all you need to know.  But, first we have to feel them and seal them.  That is going to be part of your first task.  You’ll somehow need to get a lock of hair from Charming and Snow and then Mom and Ma.  I’ll get what you need from Will and I’ll provide you with your first lock: mine,” Coraline told her reaching up to her own head and pulling her hair.

She took one of the vials and placed the hair in it.  She waved her hand over the vial and the hair floated in suspended animation.  She handed the vial back to Ruby with a smile.  She watched as she just stared at the vial. 

“Put that away and don’t let Mom see them.  I’ll take care of them once they are full.  Just remember, you only have six days before I won’t be able to enchant them fully.  If they aren’t enchanted before Neal’s heart is put inside me, then they won’t be any help to anyone.”

“Got it.  Get the hair before you get your uncle’s heart.  Anything else, Princess?” Ruby asked her giving her a mock salute and curtsey.

“Thank you, Swan Wolf,” Coraline teased her back.

“Who do you want to talk to now?”

“Ma?”

“You don’t sound so sure about that,” Ruby told her.

“I am not, but I know that I am going to talk to her the most over the next few days.  She is going to be the hardest to talk to.  We don’t have the same relationship that I have with Regina.  I know about her past and how hard she’s fought for everything she has.  She isn’t going to just let me go.  I get that.  In fact, I’m expecting that,” Coraline explained.

“Already have a plan in action for that do you?”

“I do.”

“You really are Regina’s daughter.  You’ve planned out everything, haven’t you?  I feel sorry for anyone that decides to go up against you when you get older for me,” Ruby told her.

“Me, too.”

“I’ll send Emma in as soon as I can find her,” Ruby told her standing up.

“She’ll be with Snow,” Coraline replied snuggling back down on the cot and under the cloak.

“I know,” Ruby stated as she left the room.

She walked her way back out.  She just before the front door of the Abbey.  She wasn’t sure if she should phase again or not.  She knew with all this she would feel more comfortable as the Wolf, but she knew that it might make some of the others antsy.  She shook her body and then her head.  She opened the door and walked outside. 

She stopped just beside Henry, noting that he hadn’t moved since she’d gone inside.  She walked up to him and sat down.  He immediately leaned into her.

“Who’s next?” he asked her.

“Your Ma.”

“She’s over there with Snow.”

“I figured,” Ruby replied.

“It might be a minute,” Henry stated.

“I see that.  I knew that Emma would turn to Snow because she didn’t agree with Regina.  She would want someone that agreed with her about this,” Ruby said.

“Too bad.  I don’t think that is what she got.  She’s been arguing and stewing with Snow for a while.  I’ve never seen her like this,” Henry explained.

“How long have they been like that?” Ruby questioned.

“Since you went inside…”


	50. Chapter 50

The smell of rain far off in the distance hit Snow's nose.  It reminded her of the days she was living in the forest while on the run from Regina.  She turned around.  Everyone that was important to her was there.  They were all waiting for their turn with Coraline.  They were all together, but they were still so far apart.

She shook her head.  Nothing was making sense to her anymore.  Her son had half a heart and she figured it was because of what happened when she cast the second curse.  She wondered if her selfishness for having Regina split her heart so that David wouldn’t stay dead caused Neal to have a fractured heart.  She honestly didn't know if that was the true reason or not.  It didn't really matter at the moment.  What mattered to her was that her granddaughter was about to sacrifice herself in order to protect them all from something that Snow herself hadn't even done yet.  It didn't sit well with her.  How could it?  She wondered when she would no longer be punished for whatever wrong doings that she had done.  Her family shouldn't be the ones being punished for her mistakes.

Emma was the product of True Love.  Because of that, she was the Saviour and she had magical power.  Regina and Rumple reasoned it was because she was made of True Love.  But that only made Snow question more.  What made Emma so different from Neal?  Was her love for her son not good enough?  Snow had no clue why her son had half a heart, but her own granddaughter was willing to give up her whole heart in order to save him.  She couldn’t even begin to speculate the fresh Hell that this was causing her daughter and her former step-mother, Regina.

She saw Emma pacing near the woods.  She pulled away from Charming and walked over to her.  She needed her daughter in this moment and she hoped that her daughter needed her, too.  Her heart was breaking, but she would still have her children when this was over.  She couldn't imagine the pain that Emma was going through.

“Emma?” she asked as she neared her blond daughter.

She could see the tension in her body.  Emma was rigid and taught like a bow string that was about to pop.  She wondered how much more Emma could take before she actually snapped.

“Emma,” she said again as she got right next to her.

Emma for her part didn’t stop moving.  She barely acknowledged Snow’s presence as she fell into step with her.  Her brain was telling her to move, to run, to figure out something that would make the pain stop, but her heart was telling her to stay and be with her family while they dealt with this.  It was almost a nature versus nurture situation.

She didn’t stop moving until Snow finally reached out and grabbed her arm.  She turned abruptly, ready to strike until she saw the look on Snow’s face.  The anger on her face fell.  She still couldn’t say anything.  Her body was aching to do something, but her mind wasn’t sure what to do.  It was like her entire being was at war with itself.

“Emma,” Snow tried again.

Her hazel eyes met her daughter’s usually bright green eyes.  She saw the sadness that was lingering behind the front she was showing.  She truly was a mixture of her and Charming.  She could feel the tightness vibrating inside her blond daughter’s body.  She didn’t know what else to do for her in that moment.  She wanted to talk to her, to explain that somehow this was going to be all her fault and beg for forgiveness, but at the same time, she wanted to ease her daughter’s pain.  She did the only thing that she knew how to do in that moment.  She hugged her.

Emma didn’t stop her.  Her body screamed at her to do something, to fight back, but she felt it betraying her as Snow just held her.  She had never really had anyone be there for her when the proverbial “shit hit the fan” and she wasn’t used to dealing with things like this.  She was happy that she had her family and someone else to share it with.  They let her know that she didn’t have to be strong by herself anymore.  But, she knew that some habits were going to die hard. 

Her body gave into the warmth that Snow was offering.  She buried her head in the crook of her shoulder and let the dams of emotions break.  Her whole body sobbed in her mother’s arms.

“I’ve got you,” Snow told her as she rubbed the back of her head.

Emma for the most part didn’t fight her.  She allowed Snow to comfort her.  She was screaming out for Regina in her head, because she’d never truly known the love that a mother could give her.  It had been the years in Storybrooke and getting to know her parents that allowed her to do it.  There were no words.  She had nothing to say that she hadn’t already said.  She was breaking and part of her wondered if she would survive it.

“Emma…”

“Mom, please…”

“Look, I know that you are about to lose your daughter.  I get that.  I really do.”

“I know.”

“But, Emma, you have to realize that you are going to get back, too.”

Emma backed up and looked at her mother.  This wasn’t some prophecy.  This was her damn family.  She didn’t understand how Snow could be so callus about it.  Didn’t she understand?

“I won’t be getting her back,” Emma hissed.

“Well, not Coraline, no, Emma, but you will still have Remy.”

That thought smarted Emma in a way that she couldn’t understand.  She knew what Snow meant, but it wouldn’t be the same.  She loved Coraline.  She was her daughter, too.

“I understand that your heart is ripping in two, Emma.  I get that.  It wasn’t easy for me to put you in that wardrobe, but we did it.  Look, I don’t want to argue about that.  I know how you feel about that, but I want you to understand that I know what it is like to sacrifice part of your family to save it all.  Coraline is doing the same.  She is willing to save Neal because she knows that it will make her childhood better.  But, she also knows that she is still going to be born.  She isn’t leaving permanently.  She is just going to be a baby next time that you have her.”

Emma looked at her mother like she had two heads.  Regina and Coraline had both tried to explain that to her, but Emma couldn’t see it.  She understood that Regina was pregnant and that Remy would be born in the next few months, but that didn’t mean anything about Coraline.  To Emma they were two different people and she didn’t understand why no one else could see that.  Coraline was her daughter.  She could touch her.  She was here, now.  Remy was a blip on a sonogram.  She was an abstract being because Emma couldn’t hold her.  Remy was going to be a malleable person that didn’t already have concrete beliefs and memories.  She would grow up in the shadow of herself and never honestly know who she was as she became who she would be.

“It isn’t the same,” Emma said quietly.

“No, it isn’t.  I am not saying that it isn’t going to hurt, because it is…immensely.  But, you have Regina, Henry, and Remy to think about.  I need you to look inside that big beautiful heart that you have and see what you have in front of you,” Snow urged.

“I do see what is front of me, Mom.  I can’t help but see it.  I am literally watching my daughter die.  I can’t be happy about that,” Emma replied.

“I am not telling you to be happy, Emma.  I am telling you to be realistic.  I am asking you to see that you aren’t the only one hurting.  I know that it hurts.  I am expecting it to hurt, Emma.  If it didn’t, I would be worried about you,” Snow said.

“Why?  Why can’t we do something else?  What is it about Neal’s heart that is going cause the darkness that we have to fight?  Why is he so important?” Emma questioned.

“He is your brother, Emma.  Wouldn’t you do anything that you could to help him?  Or, would you let him die?” Snow asked her.

Emma stared at her mother.  There was a fire in her eyes.  She didn’t know whether to be angry or sad.  Her heart was begging her mind to make a decision that it couldn’t.  She was trying to the weigh the pros and cons and neither side was winning.  Either way someone had to die.

“What do you want from me?” Emma begged.

“I want you to get angry.  I want you to be pissed and I want you to know it’s okay.  What Coraline is asking you isn’t easy.  And, we both know that she isn’t asking lightly.  But, we also know that if we don’t help her transition the way she wants, then she’ll find a way to do it on her own.  She has become resolute in this, Emma.  Short of us producing another heart, there is nothing that we can do in her eyes to stop the future from happening.”

“Would that be so bad?” Emma asked as the tears began to form in her eyes.

“Go in there.  Talk to your daughter.  Ask her that question,” Snow demanded.

Emma’s shoulders fell.  She knew what answer she would get from Coraline.  And, she knew that she wouldn’t like it.  How could she?  She knew what Coraline was feeling when she came to Storybrooke.  She knew that she felt lost.  Suddenly she was thrust into a family that she never really knew, but she had played them in all in doing so.  She’d hid behind Belle in order to find out more about the women that we her mothers. 

Her anger was near a boiling point and she needed an outlet.  She didn’t know what to do and in that moment, she feared that it was her fault.  She’d fought Rumple and unleashed his darkness.  It had no body to be tethered to honestly since Regina did whatever Regina had done to bring Emma back to life.  Couldn’t she just sacrifice herself to the Darkness?  Wouldn’t that work?

“Don’t even think about it,” Snow warned quietly.

“Think about what?”

“Giving into the darkness that is building inside you.  You’ve fought it off dozens of times.  Don’t let this be the point that pushes you over the edge.  We need you, Emma.  Henry needs you.  Remy is going to need.  And as much as it pains me to say it, Regina needs you.  We are a family and nothing we do is worth the cost of this family.  Do you hear me?  I have fought too long and too hard to keep it together and I am not going to stop now,” Snow told her, her own anger building.

“THEN DO SOMETHING!”

“I AM!”

They stared at each other.  Fiery green warring with burning hazel, they continued to pace.  Neither one of them were paying attention to the looks that they were getting.  They just didn’t care.  They needed to get it out.  They needed to shout at each other.  They needed to find a way past their feelings and latch on to truth of the situation.

Emma didn’t want to believe that there wasn’t something magically that she could do to save her family.  She understood everyone’s argument that she might be losing Coraline for now, but she would have Remy soon enough.  It didn’t do anything to stop the pain in her heart and it was gnawing at her fiercely.  She didn’t care that Coraline had to die so that Remy would live a better life.  In her eyes, she was still losing her daughter.

“She didn’t have me, Mom.  She didn’t have me to be there for her and I’ve let her down again.  I can’t save her,” Emma stated falling to her knees on the dense earth on the edge of the forest just on the edge of the Abbey’s parking lot.

“I know, Emma.  I get that.  I wasn’t there for you and now you’re all grown up.  I regret that every day.  It tears me up inside.  It always has, but I know that you became the woman you are today because we put you in that wardrobe.  You saved us all, Emma.  In knowing that you would come back for us after twenty-eight years, I knew that we still had hope of defeating the curse.  Of course things didn’t work out the way I’d hoped, but we found each other.  We survived it and we became a family,” Snow told her.

“I know that.”

“But, do you realize this is the same thing for Coraline?”

“What do you mean?”

“She grew up without you or Regina.  Yeah, she had Belle and Red, but she didn’t have her mothers.  She grew up in a hard time in the Enchanted Forest, always wondering about her mothers.  She had to grow up listening to their heroic acts and know that they went out to face the Darkness head on leaving her behind to restore the kingdom.  Do you think that was easy for her?  Do you think that she wanted that fate?” Snow asked.

“No.”

“We both know that she didn’t.  She’s told us as much.  Do you not remember how angry she was a few months ago?  She drove to Boston in order to learn about you from the only person that she knew from stories that you kept in contact with.  She was trying to learn about a family that she’d only heard about in tales and stories.  Sound familiar?”

“Yes.”

“She is so much like you, Emma.  She is strong.  She is magical.  She is a survivor and she is a fighter.  She has proven that every day that she’s been here.  And, now, we have to help her fight.  We have to help her die in our past so that she can have a better future.  Does that make it an easier for us?  No, it doesn’t.  But, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to help.”

“I know that,” Emma replied.

“We’re Charmings, Emma.  We don’t give up hope.  We never have.  And, fortunately for us all, we still have hope in Coraline,” Snow told her.

“How?  She is still dying.  That hasn’t changed,” Emma stated.

“Because she is going to be born and by her actions we will give her the life that she wanted.  She will grow up with both of her mothers.  She will have her extended family and she won’t have to worry about the Blackness or the darkness.  She has completed the mission that she came to do.  She is saving us from a bleak future we haven’t even lived yet.”

“I know that.”

“Then believe that Coraline has thought this through.  She is a brave and smart woman, like both of her mothers.  She has both a light and dark side.  And, she is willing to sacrifice herself in order to save us all from this horrible fate.  Are you willing to do the same?”

“Of course, I am.”

“Then love her while you can and never forget who she is.”

“Mom…”

“No, Emma.  Love her and cherish every minute that you have with her.  You get a second chance at raising her this time.  She is insuring it.  Wouldn’t you do the same?”

“Yes…”

“Then forgive her for this.  Forgive her for coming back and making you love her so much that you are unwilling to lose her.  Realize that Regina is pregnant and that child is going to be spoiled rotten.  She is never going to have to wonder if she’s loved. She is never going to have to wonder about her family because she is going to have them.  She will be loved.”

Emma started crying.  She didn’t know why her mother telling her this made it so much more…real and bearable, but it did.  She knew that Snow would have a unique perspective on the situation because of their relationship.  But, since Snow was making her step back and think about what was going on, what was being gained over what was being lost; Emma felt her heart not hurting as badly. 

“It still hurts.”

“It will never stop.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what, Emma?”

“Forever doubting the power of our family,” Emma stated.

“Remember that the power of love is always stronger than hate and anger.  Don’t give into it, Emma.  Find the light in the situation and hold on to it.  It isn’t the easy way, but in the end, it is the best way.  We can do anything if we do it for the right reasons.  Coraline is proving it.”

“I know.”

“Do you think that this is easy for her?”

“What do you mean?”

“She is obviously suffering.  Regina, the fairies and you are doing everything that you can to help her, but it just isn’t enough.  It is our love and our family that has helped us through this.  I would be lying if I told her that watching her die wasn’t tearing me up inside.  I feel responsible somehow.  I feel like I haven’t done enough for you as your mother or for her because I am her grandmother.  I should be able to make this pain go away and we should live together for a long time.  Unfortunately, that isn’t how this story goes.  We are rewriting our future, Emma.  Things are bound to hurt.  There are going to be painful times in our lives.  The only thing that we can do is embrace it and move past it letting our love radiate over our lives.  Can you still do that?”

“I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

“You always have a choice, Emma.  It is what you do with that choice that makes the difference in our lives.  Will you stand with your daughter as she does this?  Or, will you try to stop her?”

Emma didn’t have time to respond to her.  Snow walked off to let Emma think over everything that they discussed.  She knew that Emma would need that time to come to realization on her own.  She needed the time to process everything that was truly going in their situation.

Emma watched her go.  She was still upset, but she was starting to see her mother’s position.  She hated it, but she realized that she was getting a chance that her own mother did have.  She was going to be there for her daughter.  She watched her walk away.

It was in that moment that Emma looked around at everyone at the Abbey.  Her parents were there.  Her son and her lover were both nearby.  Her friends that were so close to her that they were like family, Belle, Ruby, and Wilhelmina, were there.  Emma saw that even the fairies were there for her and Coraline.  Blue and Tink were watching over them upholding their fairy godmother roles for the all.  Everyone that was important to her, everyone that she was close to in Storybrooke, everyone that she had come to love was there to support her, her daughter and their love for their family and friends.

She realized that she had so much support that she didn’t know what to do with it all.  She truly was part of the Charming clan because they always found a way and it was usually done with love.  Coraline doing this to save her own childhood was no exception.  Emma realized that Coraline was willing to die for her so that she would have her parents during her childhood.  I was a wish that Emma had had for twenty-eight years.  She had been willing to give up anything if she could have had a stable family filled with love and now she had that.  Who was she to deny that to her own daughter?

Emma stayed on the ground.  She wasn’t sure that she had the will to stand up and face the truth that was beyond the front doors of the Abbey.  She knew that she couldn’t stay out there forever.  She would eventually have to go inside and talk to her daughter, but her heart was dreading it.  She was used to being the one sacrificing or doing without in order for others to be happy. 

Her knees finally hurt and she stood up.  She watched as the sun started going down behind the trees behind the Abbey.  As she watched the light fading away, her eyes met those of her son and her best friend and godmother, Ruby.  She saw the pain in both their eyes and she knew that there was nothing that she could do to assuage it. 

Something flickered in Ruby’s eyes.  Emma saw it and she knew that Ruby knew that she saw it.  Ruby leaned over and whispered something in Henry’s ear.  He turned to the Wolf, the disbelief written all over his face, but he got up regardless and walked away from her as Emma approached.  He gave his mother a sparing glance as he walked across the parking lot.  To Emma it looked like he was searching for someone else to go talk to and her heart hurt for him.

She sat down on the steps to the porch next to Ruby.  She didn’t say anything, neither did Ruby.  They just sat there and stared out over the gathered crowd.  Emma couldn’t say what they were looking for but she knew that they hadn’t found it yet amongst them all.

“She wants to talk to you,” Ruby told her finally breaking their silence.

“I know.”

“No, Ems, like she wants to talk to you next,” Ruby countered.

“Oh,” Emma answered, but she didn’t make any attempt to move.

“She loves you, you know,” Ruby said.

“I do.”

“Then go talk to her, Emma.”

“And say what?” Emma questioned facing her.

“I don’t know.  Maybe you should start with whatever is on your mind.  She understands why you are upset.  She gets it, but she doesn’t want you to be angry with her over the decision.  She is doing this for herself,” Ruby told her.

“She’s being selfish.”

“Who’s being selfish in this, Emma?  Coraline or you?”

Emma didn’t know what to say to her about that.  She knew that she was being selfish about it, but she didn’t want her daughter to die.  She didn’t think that was too much to ask.  She knew that it wasn’t wrong to think that, but she knew that she needed to start thinking in the long term.  She was being selfish.  She knew that she was, but that didn’t stop her thoughts.  She took a deep a breath and let it go.

“I got you, Ruby.  I am sorry.  I just…”

“I know, Emma.  I know.  No one wants her to go.  We all love her, but we know that she has to do this in order to save us all in the future.  But, you have to remember that you will have Coraline again.  She’ll be Remy, and still your daughter,” Ruby replied.

“I should go talk to her, huh?” Emma asked.

“It would be a good idea, yeah.”

“Will you be here when I get back?”

“Yes, Emma, I’ll be here.  I am not going anywhere.  Besides, I’ve been given some things to do by Coraline.  I can’t just leave everyone here, yet,” Ruby explained.

“Some things to do?”

“Don’t worry about me, Emma.  I’ll be okay.  Go talk to your daughter,” Ruby urged her.

Emma sighed.  She stood up and slowly walked towards the doors behind them.  She took one look back and looked over her true family and her chosen family.  She needed them all and they needed her.  But, now she needed to face her fears and see her dying daughter. 

She reached out for the handle.  She knew that going into the Abbey, into the cloisters to the room where her adult daughter lay dying that she was no longer the Saviour.  She was just a mother in pain.  She knew that there was nothing that she could do in order to save her daughter.  They had exhausted all avenues.

She couldn’t even advocate the use of dark magic because she knew that Regina wouldn’t allow.  But, also because she knew that it was dark magic that was killing her.  There was no price to pay but her own life and that was the thing that Coraline was trying to stop.  No, Emma would have to find another way if there was one to be found.  She knew that she wouldn’t stop looking, but that didn’t make the pain of seeing her daughter on that pallet any easier.  It was with her limited knowledge of magic and powerful totems that she didn’t understand that the quilt that should be saving her daughter’s life was only keeping her alive.  Had the Darkness that tried to make Emma succumb to its will chosen her daughter instead?

She sighed and pulled the heavy wooden door open.  She slowly stepped into the building.  With each echoing step, Emma felt her heart drop more as she approached the room Coraline was in.  She saw that Tink was outside the room, where she had been on guard duty for the past few days, only leaving when Blue or Red were there.  Their eyes met.

“She’s waiting on you,” Tink told her.

“I know,” Emma replied, but she still didn’t make move to go inside the room. 

It was like her feet were planted, rooted, to the spot.  Tink could see the trepidation in her eyes.  Like Regina, Emma wore her heart on her sleeve.  Her eyes were expressive and hard.  She only let you know how she was feeling when she wanted you to know, but in extremely emotional situations, like this one, neither of them could hide their anguish.  Emma has actually stopped trying.  She didn’t care who saw her pain.  She wanted them all to know that it was her daughter that was dying.  She wanted them see what her sacrifice was doing to their “Saviour.”

All at once, she collapsed to the floor.  Tink tried to catch her but she didn’t make it in time.  She broke down and Tink was the only one there for her.  Emma sobbed; great big large sobs that came from the depths of her soul that she forgot even existed.  Her body rocked with the emotional turmoil that her brain had been fighting for days. 

“Why can’t it be me in there?” Emma chocked out quietly.

Tink shushed her, holding her as she continued to rock in anguish.  She held her tighter each time that the sobs grew loud and would just rock with her as Emma would start to quiet down before she would have to tighten her hold again.  It was cycling and each cycle was longer than the last.  Tink didn’t know how long they stayed like that and she was surprised that she was the one that was dealing with Emma’s breakdown.  She would have expected Snow or Regina to be there with her, but they were dealing with their own feelings.

When Emma finally stopped, Tink asked her, “Do you want me to get someone for you?”

“No.”

Emma looked at her.  There was a burning fire in her eyes.  She had only seen that fire once before and she knew that it wasn’t good.  Emma had given her the same look in Neverland when they were looking for Regina.  It was the first time that she met Emma. 

“Emma?”

“I have to do this on my own,” she murmured as she tried to stand.

Tink just supported her as her legs gave way.  They couldn’t help her stand up against her emotional distress.  She held Emma again, but she could feel a new cold and distant calm coming over her.  Emma was distancing herself from…everything.

“I’ll be okay, Tink.”

But, Tink watched her.  She knew that Emma was anything but okay in that moment.  She was in pain and the internal turmoil to give up her own life for her daughter was weighing heavy on her mind.  Tink may not have been the family fairy for Emma, but she was still a fairy.  She could hear Emma’s desperate thoughts loud and clear.

“It isn’t your time to die, Emma,” Tink said softly, trying not to raise her ire.

“Why not?”

“Because you have to raise her to be that beautiful woman in there,” Tink answered.

Emma scoffed at the idea.  She knew that she had nothing to do with the rearing of her own daughter.  The beautiful woman in that bed dying was the product of Red and Belle, not Regina and Emma.  That didn’t matter to her, though; she still loved her daughter with all her heart.

“Listen to me, Emma.  I know that you love your daughter.  No one is going to deny that, but you cannot take the curse on that is destroying her body.  It isn’t your curse to carry.”

“It isn’t hers either.”

“It may not be, but she has chosen to take it.  You cannot take that from her.  She wouldn’t allow it.  This is her choice and you have to honor that,” Tink told her.

“NO, I don’t.”

“Emma, she is your daughter.  She came back in time to protect your life for the simple reason that she wanted to know who you were.  Would you deny her the chance to grow up in a loving home with you and Regina?  Would you deny her her family?  Would you sentence her to a life worse than you had?”

“What do you know about my life?” Emma questioned the green fairy with venom.

“I know that you had a hard life being an orphan in this world.  You are a lost girl.  I might have come for you in another life and helped you, but I didn’t have wings.  I was stuck in Neverland and it wasn’t all peaches and cream there.  It sucked as you found out, but at least you were only there for a few days, a week tops.  I lived there for years, hundreds of years.  Yeah, you didn’t have your parents or any idea who they were.  Baelfire screwed you over and you gave up Henry.  But, think about what she’s gone through, Emma.  Think about what she is trying to change in her life for the better,” Tink explained.

Emma sat back on her ass.  She looked up at the other blonde and hung her head.  She knew what Coraline had told them.  She knew what the journals had said.  She knew what she wanted to do, but she also knew what she couldn’t do.

“It isn’t fair,” Emma whispered.

“It never is, Emma.  It never is.  We can’t control everything no matter how hard we try.  We can only do the best with what we got.  Coraline came here to alter her future.  She didn’t know at the time that it might cause her own destruction.  Do you think that she cares about that right now?  No, she doesn’t.  Because at least in this timeline for her, she knew who her mothers were and what they stood for.  She was able to see the love that you were both so willing to give her without any reservation and unconditionally just because she was your daughter.  She got the family that she wanted, even if it was only for a short time.  She is willing to sacrifice herself now, so that she can have that later.  She’ll never know that she is the one that sacrificed herself in order to protect her family.”

“Why not?”

“Would you tell your new born daughter that her adult-self came back from the future to save her both of her mothers from death?  Cause I am sure that will go over well with the young Princess.  I mean, who doesn’t want to know that they are going to have a crap childhood in order to come back and save their parents?” Tink asked her.

Emma leaned back into her embrace.  She hated the fact that Tink made sense.  She wanted to be angry with her, but she just couldn’t find the way to do it.  She couldn’t argue with truth, no matter how farfetched and magical it was.

“What am I supposed to do, Tink?”

“Let her go.”

“I can’t.”

“You have to, Emma.  Not only for your sake, but hers as well.  Would you condemn your own daughter to a life without you just because you want her to live now?”

“No,” Emma stated.

“Then, let her go.”

Emma turned to look into her hazel eyes more fully.  She saw the promise of a new day, but still the pain in her heart was overriding her sensibilities.  She loved Regina.  She loved Henry.  She loved her parents, even when they were idiots.  She loved her little brother.  But, for some reason her heart wouldn’t let her let Coraline go.

“How?” Emma questioned.

“By letting her fulfill a destiny she didn’t know she had.  In her timeline she is known as the Survivor.  That is what she is, but she is so much more.  She is the daughter of the Evil Queen and the Saviour.  She has the ability to save us from the Darkness by taking it on herself, Emma.  You have to allow her to do this because it is the right thing to do,” Tink told her.

“But, she’s my daughter.  She shouldn’t have to deal with anguish that entails.  She should get her happy ending.  She shouldn’t have to sacrifice herself in order for us to survive life.”

“That is how she gets her happy ending…”

“What?”

“The longer she lies in that bed, the more her memories change.”

“But…”

“Why are you questioning this?  She is changing her history but she knows that she isn’t there while she grows up.  You are though.  To her that means that she is doing the right thing.”

“Why hasn’t she told us this then?” Emma asked her.

“Have you asked her?” Tink replied much to Emma’s dismay.

Emma knew that she was right.  She hadn’t really talked to Coraline since she announced that she was going to exchange hearts with Neal.  Emma had gone off on a spiral.  She hadn’t been there for Regina.  She had fled into her own head.  She didn’t want to face what was going on in front of her.  She wanted to run.  She wanted to make Coraline find another way to save Neal and them all.  She was so focused on that, that she hadn’t seen the pain that she was causing with her denial that things were bad.  Everyone around her had been struggling and she wasn’t doing anything to help anyone deal with it.

“There are a lot of things that I haven’t done when it comes to Coraline.  I still feel like I have failed her in more than one way and epically in ways that I can never ask her for forgiveness.  How can I talk to her when I don’t know what to say?  I don’t know what to do.  She is so resolute in this that it doesn’t matter what I want to say to her,” Emma stated.

“Then, be the one thing that she has always wanted you to be, Emma.”

“Yeah, and what’s that?”

“Her mother,” Tink replied as she released her and stood up.


	51. Chapter 51

Emma stood up and hesitated before the door.  Her hand was on the knob and she slowly turned it.  As she walked in, she heard Tink leaving the area.  She knew that the Green Fairy was giving them some privacy.  She gave her a quick a smile and walked into Coraline’s cloister room.

She shut the door and walked over to the chair beside Coraline’s cot.  She looked down at her daughter.  She gave her a small smile.  Emma reached out and took her hand.  She needed that visceral and tactile connection with her.

“Hi,” Emma stated.

“Hey,” Coraline answered.

“Rubes told me that you wanted to talk with me,” Emma said dumbly and as soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them.

“Is that the only reason that you came in here to talk to me?” Coraline asked her.

“No.”

“Can you tell me why then?”

“You’re my daughter,” Emma replied.

“Is that the only reason?”

“No.”

“Then, why are you here?”

“Because I don’t want you to die!” Emma yelled out of her of own frustration with the situation.

She knew that Coraline was frustrated but it was different.  She wasn’t watching her own child dying with nothing to do, no hope of making it stop.  She couldn’t understand the pain that was griping at Emma’s heart.  This loss of hope for her was the worst feeling she’d ever had.

“I know that, Ma.  I don’t expect you to just let me die.  I never did.”

“Then, why do you expect me to just be okay with this so easily?” Emma asked her.

“Because you now have a reason,” Coraline answered.

“Yeah and what is that’?’

“You know what might have happened had I not come back to stop it,” Coraline replied.

Emma just stared at her.  She wanted to live, but she couldn’t.   It would be like trying to argue with Regina.  There would be no real point unless she could prove otherwise.  And, Emma knew she couldn’t.  There was no way that she could prove that Coraline’s sacrifice now would impact her growing up in the future.  In fact based on what information that Emma had, it would only be a good thing.  She also knew that Coraline was counting on that.

“But, how can you know?” Emma asked.

“I don’t.  Well, I don’t really know, but I have a gut feeling.  Don’t you listen to your gut a lot, Ma?”

Emma shook her head.  She was definitely her daughter.  She knew what buttons to push to get the reaction that she wanted.  Emma couldn’t help but smile at the thought.

“What?” Coraline asked.

“You are my daughter,” Emma replied laughing slightly.

“How many times have I already told you that?”

“Enough that I should have known better.  I am sorry.  I do trust you.”

“I know, Ma.  I know.  You don’t want to lose me and I really don’t want to die.  If I could find another way, knowing what I know, I would do it in a heartbeat.”

“I know that, Kiddo.  I do.  I just don’t want to lose you.  I am being selfish in that regard.  You’re my daughter and I know what it is like to wonder about your parents,” Emma started.

“My life wasn’t as hard as yours, Ma.  It wasn’t.  Ruby and Belle took good care of me.  I just didn’t remember who you guys were.  I lost you all in one day.  I became an orphan because of the darkness and I swore that I would end it.  I couldn’t find a way in my time, but I’ve found a way now.  I know that this sucks.  I do.  I get it.  But, this way I can guarantee that you never break your promise to me or to Henry.  This way I get to grow up with you in my life,” Coraline told her.

“I know and that is the only reason I haven’t gone completely crazy about this.”

“Look, you want to be mad, be mad.  I am not telling you not to.  I am just saying that I am not really going away.  Mom is pregnant with me right now.  I’ll be here in u few short months and then you’ll forget all about this ugly mess.”

“I’ll never forget this,” Emma told her with strong conviction.

“Ma, you have to forget about this.  You can’t let this plague you.  You have to let it go.”

“Do you think that I am going to want to grow up knowing that I might lose you anyway?  Do you think that I am going to want to know how I die?  I don’t.  Who would?” Coraline questioned her.

Emma sat back in the chair and looked at her daughter.  She watched as her eyes flashed back and forth between the dark mahogany and bright green.  She could see the pain there and she knew that Coraline was fighting the Darkness inside her.   She was hiding something behind her pain and Emma knew that Coraline had been holding something else back from them, especially Regina.  

“You haven’t told her the truth, have you?” Emma asked.

“Told who what?”

“Your mother,” Emma replied.

“Told her what?” Coraline asked.

“Don’t play with me, Coraline.  I am your mother.  I gave you those habits.  Why haven’t you told her the truth about this?  I can see it in your face.”

Coraline sat up.  She knew that she couldn’t keep the truth from her mothers for long.  They were her mothers after all.  She knew that Red would keep her secret and not tell everyone the full truth.  If she did, she knew that Regina or Emma would try to do more to stop her.  She’d let it go us long as she could.  She just never thought that it would be Emma that caught her in the lie first.  She was sure that it would be Regina and that is why she was waiting to talk to her last.  She was trying to buy as much time as possible.  She couldn’t have Regina doing something stupid and try to stop her from trapping the Darkness for eternity.

“You can see what?”

“What is really going on, Coraline?” Emma demanded.

“I don’t know what you are talking about, Ma,” Coraline replied.

“Don’t lie to me, Coraline.”

“I am not lying.  I don’t know what you are talking about.  Can you give me something?”

“Why aren’t you telling us the truth about what is wrong with you?”

Coraline’s eyes flashed green and the anger started to build.  Emma could see it in her face and the contortions that her body made.  She wasn’t scared.  She refused to show fear to her daughter.  She would help her battle this, even if it did kill her in the end.  But, damn it, Emma wasn’t going to let her go without a light.

“I am not giving up on you, Coraline.  So, you can forget that.  I am never going to stop fighting for you, or Henry, or Regina.  So, why don’t you come clean and tell me what really going on with you?” Emma pressured her.

Coraline started seething.  She couldn’t help it.  The Darkness inside her was too strong and her heart was honestly the only thing that the fairies had protected.  The Darkness was eating at her slowly and the treatments that Tink and Blue were doing at night were merely holding it at bay.

“Get out!” Coraline yelled at her.

Tink must have heard her scream at Emma through the door.  The shout had been abnormally loud.  Emma thought as she watched Tink come barreling into the room.  She pushed Emma out of the way and began to run her wand over Coraline.  Emma watched in horror as black smoke-like tendrils started coming out of her.  She was about to say something to Tink when Blue came in and shooed her out of the room.  Emma wanted to protest but the look in Blue’s eyes told her enough to shut up and wait for them to tell her what the hell was really going on with her daughter.

Emma was lost in thought as she ran through the Abbey.  There were only two thoughts running through her mind: one, find Regina; and two, find Ruby.  She came through the main doors of the Abbey at such a speed that she almost tripped over Ruby, who was still sitting on the steps watching over everyone.  She grabbed Emma to keep her from falling flat on her face.  While she waited for Emma to murmur some sort of thanks, she realized that Emma’s hands were blazing white and her eyes were an unusual shade of electric green.

“Uh, Emma?” Ruby asked trying to get her attention.

“REGINA!” she screamed as soon as she realized that she had breath.

She didn’t cure how wild she looked.  Her daughter needed them and now!  She looked over the crowd until she saw her dark-haired lover staring back at her.  Emma didn’t know how she looked and she didn’t care.  She knew that Regina saw her and she knew that one word would have her come running.

“CORALINE!” Emma yelled.

She got her desired outcome.  Regina immediately stopped talking to Snow and Belle.  She took off at run before she poofed to Emma’s side on the steps of the Abbey.  When the smoke cleared, she grabbed Emma’s glowing hands and willed her to calm down just enough to tell her what was wrong.

“They didn’t tell us everything,” she stated.

“Who, Dear?”

“The damn fairies,” Emma panted.

Her chest was heaving.  She didn’t understand why they weren’t running into the building.  Regina was at her side, but her brain didn’t understand why they weren’t at Coraline’s already.

“What happened?”

“She...they...the darkness...” Emma couldn’t make herself calm down to get a full thought out.

“Emma, Honey, breathe.  Now, tell me what’s wrong with Coraline.  What happened?”

“We were just starting to talk,” Emma started, but she was trying to pull Regina in the building.

“Okay, we’ll go in, but keep talking.  Ruby, come too.  We might need your strength.” Regina added.

Emma nodded and slowly let Regina lead her back into the building.  Ruby nodded and followed.  Snow, who had followed Regina’s running, waited on the steps.  Ruby whispered something in her ear.  Snow shook her head in agreement and took up a sentinel’s position on steps.  She would wait for them there.  She was just as worried as Regina and Emma were.  Belle joined her, with Henry a few minutes later.  A quick text to Charming sent him off for arms.  Snow wasn’t sure what was going on, but they wanted to be prepared for anything if Ruby’s words were to be held for truth.

As they walked through the Abbey to the cloisters, Emma finally caught her breath.  She had calmed somewhat since Regina agreed for them to go back inside.  She knew that having Ruby there would help them if they needed to move Coraline quickly and away from the fairies.

“We were talking…”

“You’ve already said that, Dear,” Regina stated.

“She looked at me.  Her eyes were flashing colors.  Brown, green, brown, green, over and over again.  It was like her magic didn’t know what to do.  Then, she suddenly got furious with me.”

“Did you say something that would have set her off?”

“No,” Emma replied quickly.

“Are you sure?”

“She’s my damn daughter, not some victim.  Yes, I am sure.  We were just talking, but she changed.  She was angry.  But, it was more than that,” Emma slated.

“What do you mean?”

“It wasn’t just anger.  It was almost like...hatred.  It was like she hated me in that instance.”

Regina looked at her lover.  Her eyes went wide.  She was no longer calm.  She was worried just as much as Emma was.  Ruby could smell her fear rolling over her suddenly.  Regina broke into a run to get to the room.  Emma followed her.  Ruby fazed into Red and decided that she would sit just outside the room while they did whatever they had to do.  She wasn’t going to let anyone disturb them.

“What the Hell is wrong with my daughter!?!” Regina yelled as she broke into the room.

What she saw scared her to the core.  Coraline was convulsing on the cot as Blue and Tink continued to run their wands over her.  More black smoke poured from her body.  Tink turned to say something to Regina, but Blue caught her looking and stopped her before she could say anything to Regina.  Tink returned to pulling more smoke out of Coraline’s body.  Regina caught the movement.  She turned back to the door and opened it forcefully.

When she saw Red, she leaned over and gave her a simple order, “Find Nova, now!”

Red was off through the cloister looking for the other fairy.  Regina closed the door.  She felt Emma move behind her.  She didn’t know if was because she was afraid of the wrath that she could feel boiling inside Regina or if she was frightened by her own emotional reaction to what they were witnessing.  Regina reached out and grabbed Emma’s hand.  She was grounding them both as she tried to get more information on her ailing daughter.

“What is wrong with my daughter, Bug?” Regina asked.

Her voice was more even, darker.  Blue whipped her head to look at the distraught woman, but she didn’t stop moving her wand.  There was a fear in Blue’s eyes that Regina had never seen before and that scared Regina more.  She then realized that Blue was speaking under her breath as she never stopped the movement with her hands.

She watched the smoke come out her daughter.  It was thick and black.  Regina’s heart broke.

“Tell me I’m wrong,” Regina begged Blue.

Blue just shook her head.  She couldn’t reply in any other fashion.  Regina realized what they were doing.  She fell into one of the chairs that had been beside the bed, but had been moved due to Emma abrupt departure earlier.  Emma looked from Blue to Regina and back again.  She was till at loss as to what was going on with Coraline.

“What is it?” Emma demanded her lover, fear showing in her eyes.

“Coraline is the Dark One,” Regina told her.

“But, the dagger…”

“It must not be tethered to it anymore.  It found a way out.  When it couldn’t have you, it took her.”

“But, why didn’t she tell us?” Emma asked them all, bewildered by what they were suggesting.

“She is our daughter,” Regina answered like it explained everything.

“But, her heart...we are going to give it to Neal,” Emma asked, scared for her sickly little brother.

“The fairies have protected it as best they can.”

“But…”

Nova came in the room slowly.  She pulled up the other chair.  She knew that Blue might not like her being in there, but like Tink, Nova had come to respect Regina and her magical know-how.  They also liked the fact that she didn’t judge them as harshly as Blue did as head of the fairies.

“Emma, it isn’t that simple,” Nova told them both.

“What are they doing?” Regina asked.

“Blue and Tink have been pulling the darkness out of her slowly every night.  When they get tired, two other fairies take their place until we can’t pull any more out.  It has been getting harder and harder to pull it out the last few days.  Her time is coming to an end and I fear that Coraline might take her own life in order to protect everyone.”

“But, Neal needs her heart…”

“He’ll get it, Emma.  Blue, Tink, all of us really, we’ve enchanted her heart.  It was the one gift that we could give her since we couldn’t be there for her as she grew.  In her time, there are no fairies.  It seems that we broke into factions and fought alongside both families to our demise as well.  This was our way of helping her defeat the darkness and living on.  Neal needs something that we cannot magically give.  Coraline gave us a way to help them both with her heart.”

“But, how did she know?” Emma demanded when she realized that Regina couldn’t ask the question of the fairy.

“She didn’t.  Well, not at first, as she recovered, her thoughts changed.  She has been visited by a family member from the future, her future.  She’s seen it and that’s better than the one she grew up in, but unfortunately, she still remembers hers completely.  Her brain couldn’t distinguish the difference between the bitterness and the happiness.  The Darkness took that opportunity to strike hard.  It has seeped into her brain and torn her thoughts apart,” Nova told them.

“But, why didn’t we notice?” Regina asked.

“She is your daughter.  Do you think that she was going to come out and tell you that she was turning into the Dark One?  No, she would hide it until she couldn’t.  It was another reason that she wants to give her heart to Neal.  For her it will be the one good thing that has come out of her new curse.”

“Can we stop it?” Emma asked.

“No, there is no stopping that evil,” Regina told her, before her head fell into her hand.

“Unfortunately, Emma, there is nothing we can do.  We have tried to make her comfortable.  The Darkness taking over is painful.  We’ve done everything that we can.  We’d hoped that we would have more time, but it looks like we are going to have move up taking her heart, now,” Nova told them.

Emma hit the ground.  Her heart was breaking and she didn’t know how to stop it.  Her daughter had become the Dark One in her place and somehow the fairies had protected her heart from the Darkness taking her heart.  It might have been the only thing that had kept Coraline thinking somewhat clearly as the Darkness had been ravaging her body.

“What can we do?” Regina asked calmly.

“The only thing that I know that we can do now is give Neal her heart.  I know that she had plans in motion in order to complete her transformation with Neal’s heart inside her, but I am not sure what those plans were.  I haven’t been privy to that information.  None of the fairies have.  She has been most secretive in that,” Nova told her.

“I might know who she told,” Emma mumbled, still on the floor.

Regina turned and looked down at her lover.  She could see the grief on her face and she wondered if her own mirrored that emotion.  She could feel the Evil Queen beginning to come to the front.  Regina was angry.  Her daughter has taken on a curse so dark and so evil and she didn’t both to tell them about it.  She could understand why Coraline would keep it from them, but it didn’t make it any easier for her.  Her blood was boiling and she wanted something to hurt.

She opened the door again.  She saw Red laying there.  Red picked up her head.  She regarded her sister.  There was a silent discussion between them and Red bowed her head in shame.  It was all Regina needed to see. 

“We will talk about this later, Wolf Pup.  Go get Snow and be quick.  Once she is one the way, find Will wherever she might be and tell her to get here now.”

Red looked up with her yellow eyes and stared into Regina’s dark brown eyes.  She saw the pain and the betrayal in Regina’s eyes.  She knew that they would talk later and she knew that it wasn’t going to be about what Emma likes to eat for dinner.  Red bowed her head again and took off for the doors. 

After she fled on her newest mission, Regina turned to the door and cast a spell of protection.  Emma watched as Nova finally got her off the floor and back into a chair.  Then they all watched as Blue and Tink continued to work.  Helpless to help their child, Emma and Regina could do nothing but cry silently as they literally tore the darkness from Coraline’s body.  They watched as she convulsed and contorted, but to her own credit, Coraline never cried out in pain as they worked.  Regina and Emma would fight later of the possession of strength that she was showing.

Some minutes later, Snow opened the door to the room, worry evident on her face.  She didn’t dare try to step in recognizing the spell on the door way.  She met Regina’s eyes.  She couldn’t help but see the red ringed, tear filled orbs from where she was standing.  Charming wasn’t far behind her.  Steadfast in his need to protect his family, he was as unsure as Snow was in that moment.  They were willing to do anything for them, but they didn’t know magic and they didn’t think that brawn would win the day.

“Prepare your son, Snow.  He is getting his new heart tonight.  We don’t have a moment to lose.”

Snow’s hazel eyes questions those of the former Evil Queen.  She could see the hardness in them.  She recognized the pain, but it was deeper and different than it had been with Daniel.  If Snow hadn’t seen the writhing body of Coraline on that cot, she would have believed that she was already dead. 

“Come get me when he is ready,” Regina finished giving her command and turned away.

For Snow there was nothing else that needed to be said.  She knew that Regina might have forgiven her for taking Daniel from her.  But, she didn’t know if she could forgive her for taking Coraline.  In the future, she was the reason that the Dark One reemerges and destroys the entire family.  But now thanks to Coraline altering the timelines, Snow would be the reason that Neal only had half a heart.  For her, it looked like she would always be the catalyst for Regina’s misery.  She began to think that she was the reason that Regina would never have the true happy ending.  She would always be the reason that Regina was unhappy.  She always had been.

Regina sat back and stared at the floor.  She didn’t know what to do.  She was breaking and she was hurting.  Emma wasn’t breaking; she was broken.  They needed each other and Regina wasn’t sure that she could be strong enough to do what needed to be done.  Her daughter was essentially letting herself die in order to destroy the Darkness and the powers of the Dark One.

Nova watched them both.  She knew that there was honestly nothing that the fairies could do that they weren’t already doing.  It didn’t make it any easier.  Coraline was the daughter of Emma, who was the daughter of Snow, who was the daughter of Leopold, and as such she was a member of a protected household of the Enchanted Forest.  Things like this weren’t supposed to happen to them without dark forces causing it. 

“Nova?” Blue asked.

She looked up at the head fairy and smiled weakly.  She didn’t answer, but nodded instead.  Blue jerked her head to the side in a beckoning motion.  Nova went over to her.

“Please take over here for me.”

“Yes, Blue,” Nova replied automatically.

“Regina, please come with me.  We need to go prepare the other room.  Emma will stay with her,” Blue stated as she neared Regina.

Regina looked at her with fire in her eyes.  They actually flashed violet for a moment, but Blue was not deterred.  She stood there waiting on Regina to stand and follow her.

“You may be the Evil Queen, Regina, but she is your daughter,” Blue stated, locking her gaze and daring Regina to say something to her.

Regina merely nodded and stood to follow the fairy.  She leaned over and whispered in Emma’s ear.  When Emma didn’t respond, Regina tried kissing but got no response.  She looked at Tink and Nova and hoped that she wouldn’t be gone long.  They needed to be together.  Regina reached up and placed her hand on her heart.  She could feel the steady beat.  She could feel the life moving through her and it made her ill.

“This way,” Blue said as she led them away from the cloisters to another set of rooms on the other side of the Abbey.

“Where are we?” Regina asked as they entered the room.

“This is a place that I had altered as soon as magic was back.”

“Why?” Regina questioned her.

“Because magic cannot escape here.”

“Rumple’s cell?” Regina murmured the question.

Regina looked around the room.  The wood wainscoting had a medium stain and was old world looking.  There was a distinctive chair rail that bordered it and thick wooden wall paper above it.  There were no chairs in the room.  There was nothing in it.  But, Regina could feel something, like a latent fingerprint in there.  There was also a building up of emotional stability.  She couldn’t explain what it was doing to her, but her anger and sadness were giving way to something that she dared not feel in a long time:  Hope.

“It is a similar spell, yes, but it isn’t the same.  In here the only magic that can be performed is good magic.  In this room, no evil can happen.”

“Then why haven’t you brought Coraline in here?” Regina demanded.

She knew that hope was a dangerous thing.  But, it was nothing like the mixture of hope and love together.  Those two emotions linked together could bring utter happiness or utter destruction.  And, Regina realized that she was there.  Blue was feeling her out.  She needed to know what was going to happen if Coraline died.  She needed to make sure that the Evil Queen didn’t rear her ugliness and decimate the town.  They all knew that Regina could level the town without even thinking about it.  
  
“Because she wouldn’t let us move her and it wouldn’t matter.  She would be just as trapped in here as she would in that room.  The only problem with her being in here is that it wouldn’t stop the Darkness.  She wouldn’t be able to leave and she wouldn’t be able to do magic.  We could move her here, but it would really only buy us some time.  It wouldn’t solve the problem.”

“Which is?”

“She is the Dark One and Prince Neal needs a new heart,” Blue answered.

Regina gasped.  She should have known.  The fairies were only worried about Prince Neal, Snow’s new bouncing boy and heir to their throne.  They didn’t care about Regina and her feelings.  Why should they?  She was the Evil Queen after all.

“This is my punishment, isn’t it?”

“I’m sorry?” Blue asked.

“This is my punishment, isn’t it for being the Evil Queen?  This is how you finally get your revenge on me, Blue.  You are going to kill my daughter and save Snow’s son.”

“Have you forgotten that your daughter is the daughter of Emma, too?”

Blue looked at her, watching her body language.  She hadn’t brought Regina in the room to punish her.  She brought her in there to feel her out.  Yes, they were all worried that she would return to being the Evil Queen, but she was mostly worried about the unborn child in her womb.

“No, I can’t forget that.”

“Then why would you think that I would do this to punish you.  In doing so, I would also be punishing Snow and Emma.  Trust me when I say that hurting you or punishing you for what you did in the Enchanted Forest is a long way away from what I am thinking.  If I was going to punish you, I would have already done it.  I would have erased Henry’s memory and returned him to the Charmings to raise on their own.  He would have never know you, but I didn’t and I won’t do that,” Blue explained.

“So because Emma is my True Love, I’m protected?” Regina inquired with a self-deprecating huff and laugh.

“No, Regina, that isn’t it at all.”

“Then why are you helping me?” Regina asked her.

She stared at the plainly dressed Mother Superior and head fairy.  Her dark eyes were worried.  Her body looked ready to unleash magic, but Regina knew that she needed a wand for an outlet.  It was one thing to have magic and another to weld it.  She wondered what she was thinking.

“Because a misdirected but wise fairy told me that everyone deserves our love and our help, because without it, Hope, itself, might die,” Blue answered.

“Tink…”

“Yes, it was Tink.  If she can forgive you, then I can as well.  Besides, Snow has forgiven you.  The town has come to respect you for who you’ve become Regina.  You may have once been the Evil Queen, but here you have striven to be the one thing that you’ve always wanted to be.”

“Yeah, and what’s that?” Regina inquired, wondering what she hinting at.

“Here you are just Regina and loved.  That is all that matters.  We have to keep Hope alive and to do that, we have to save both Coraline and Neal.  I don’t plan on losing either of them.”

“But, she is the Dark One.”

“She is.”

Regina looked at her.  She got close enough to stare deeply into her dark eyes.  She saw no deception, but she still couldn’t read the elder fairy.

“What do you propose?” Regina asked tentatively.

“You’re not going to like it,” Blue answered immediately.

“I’m sure I won’t, but that doesn’t matter.  How can we fix this?  How do we save my daughter and her young uncle from this fate?” 

“We switch their hearts, in here, because I want to erase Coraline from hers.”

“You want to what?” Regine questioned and she stared to pacing.  She wanted to smack Blue.  She wanted to rip her heart out and give it to Neal instead, but she knew that was the Evil Queen talking.  She was showing up because she was trying to protect Regina from being hurt. 

“Let me explain and finish before you totally freak out on me,” Blue told her.

“Fine,” Regina replied, but she didn’t stop pacing.

Blue just watched her.  She knew that Regina was going to gear up for a fight.  That is why she brought her into this room.  In here, Regina couldn’t conjure up her fireballs out of anger.  It would give Blue just enough time to tell her a plan and hope that Regina was onboard with it.

“We go ahead with the plan as Coraline has devised it.  But, before we place her heart in Neal, we erase it.  This way it will be magically stripped of ever being Coraline’s.  Her memories wouldn’t be tied to it.  It would be like we were giving Neal a brand new heart.  It will also be blank, thus allowing Neal to choose his own destiny.  It will not push him in any direction.”

“He wouldn’t automatically be good because it is still a Charming’s heart?”

“No, he still has the same ability as Emma.  He can be the greatest evil or a good man.  This will make the choice his because he has a whole heart.  I am not saying that he is leaning one way or the other.  This would be a precaution because of Coraline’s condition.  We would also being doing it in order to protect him from her memories.  He doesn’t need to know what horrors she’s suffered.  He needs to live his own life,” Blue told her.

“I actually agree with that,” Regina stated.

“I’d hoped you would.”

“But, what of Neal’s half a heart?” Regina asked.

“Now, this is where things will get really complicated,” Blue replied.

“How so?”

“We can do the same for it and place it in Coraline.  As soon as we do, it will be consumed by the Dark One’s Curse.  There is nothing that I can do about that.  I can erase his heart, but she will still be consumed.  There is no prevention for that…now.”

“But, there was?”

“Just her death.”

“And, if she was to die now?” Regina asked.

“Then, she’ll take the Darkness to her grave.  The only problem is that she has the Dark One’s magic in her veins.  There is no one willing to take that Curse on and there is no way to rid her of it.  And, before you ask, no, you cannot give her your heart in order to accept the Curse yourself.  It doesn’t work that way.  We’ve been protecting her heart so it isn’t corrupted.  There is nothing that destroys the Curse save for True Love.”

“Then Will…”

“Cannot undo it.”

“Why not?!?”

“Because Regina, Coraline has accepted her fate to die as the Dark One.  She has made that choice and True Love’s kiss won’t work.  She has decided to embrace the curse.  Once she’s done that, she no longer sees it as a Curse,” Blue told her.

“Meaning that even True Love won’t end it…”

“Yes, but there is another option.”

“What?”

“Your unborn daughter…” Blue told her.

“What about her?”

“Have you forgotten, Regina, that she is also Coraline?  She will just live a different life.  She has given herself a new lease of life.  Coraline has paved a brighter path for her own future.  She has done all of this because she knew that in doing so, she would save the family,” Blue said.

“I know all that, Blue.  What aren’t you telling me about this, Bug?  What is it?”

Blue looked at her.  She knew that Regina was angry and sad.  She also knew that she couldn’t do anything to stop what was happening.  She just didn’t know if Regina was going to be able to accept it.  That is why they were in the room.

“Why did you really bring me here?” Regina asked her.

“So you could unleash yourself without hurting anyone.  You and I both know that there is nothing that we can do to save Coraline now.  Her body has been ravaged by the Dark One Curse.  Her heart is protected but as soon as we place Neal’s heart in her, there will be no spell protecting it.  She will fully succumb to the horridness and she will fully embrace the Darkness.  I am giving you the option, now, to lose your cool.”

“Why?” Regina asked as she fell to her knees.

“Because everyone is going to be looking to you soon, Regina.  They are going to need you to step up and lead them through this time of grief.  I know that it going to be hard for you.  I will support you in any way that I can, Regina.  I want you to know that.  But, right now, you are going to have to be their savior.  You are going to have to do things that you don’t want to and the biggest thing is letting Coraline go so that Remy may have both you later,” Blue explained.

“I don’t know that I can, Blue.”

“Well, you need to find a way.  It isn’t just you that we are worried about, Regina.  We are all worried about Emma and what this might do to her fragile psyche.  But, there is also the little one in your womb there.  She is also my charge and you must know that we will do everything that we can in order to protect her.  That includes helping Coraline give up her heart.”

“How long can we delay the transfer?” Regina asked, looking up into her dark eyes.

“Maybe as late as tomorrow morning, but no later than just past lunch,” Blue answered.

“That will be enough time.  Please send Ruby in here when she is back.  Protect Neal’s room.  I’ll let you know in a few hours what we are going to do,” Regina told her.

“Yes, majesty,” Blue answered and gave her a deep bow before she turned to leave.

“I never thought I would see that from you,” Regina mumbled.

“I never thought that I would see the good in you, again, Regina,” Blue replied as she left.


	52. Chapter 52

Emma sat in the room and watched the Darkness consume her daughter.  She watched on in horror and defeat as Nova and Tink continued to pull the evil out of her.  She was powerless and Regina had left her there alone.  She had some control over her magic, but not enough in order to save Coraline.  She knew what it meant to be the Dark One.  It was a death sentence. 

She wanted to reach out and pull the damn blanket off of her, but she didn’t know why.  Emma was confused by her own impulses that she was afraid what she might do.  She was fighting the nagging feeling in her entire body that was telling her to run…run away and forget all the pain that she was about to endure and witness.  But, then she would look into Coraline’s eyes and see Regina reflected back at her.  She couldn’t leave Regina like this.  She couldn’t.  She needed to buck up and realize that there was nothing that she could do for her daughter except help her get through this transition with the hearts and die.  Emma needed to find a way to let her go.

And, that was her main problem.  She didn’t want to let her go.  Coraline was and always would be her daughter.  She was part of her and vice versa.  They were blood.  And, for all the years that Emma wanted a real family, she’d finally found it in Storybrooke with Henry and Regina, and even Snow and Charming.  Her own new little brother that she even referred to as Prince Neal, as to not confuse him with Henry’s father and her former lover, was part of it.  She had gotten everything that she wanted and then some.

Was Coraline her price to pay for that?  Was she the price of her magic?  Rumple had always warned them that magic came with a price.  Emma couldn’t help but wonder if Coraline was hers.  There were too many questions and not enough answers and due to recent revelations, there definitely wasn’t enough time for them to explore any other options than the ones that Coraline had come up with to deal with it all.

“Damn you,” Emma whispered, but as she saw the swift turn in Coraline head, she knew that she’d been heard and by her own daughter that she was damning.

Emma got quiet.  She just stared at her daughter.  She didn’t know what else to say.  She didn’t know what to do.  She tried to remain calm and collected, but she knew that wasn’t going to happen.  She wanted to freak out.  She wanted to scream.  She needed to do something.  She couldn’t keep still and watching her daughter slowly succumb more and more to the darkness.  She just couldn’t do it.

“Emma?” Ruby asked as she slowly opened the door.

Emma looked at her, but she knew that Ruby must have known that Regina wasn’t in there with her.  She could see the worry on Ruby’s face.  She didn’t know how to be the Saviour now.  Snow peered around her and gave Emma a weak smile.  No one said a thing.  Emma just got up.  She nodded at Tink, who returned the gesture and went out into the hall way of the cloisters.

Emma looked at her mother then.  She saw the pain in her hazel eyes, but she couldn’t care.  She knew that it sounded crass, but she didn’t.  She didn’t care in that moment about her little brother.  She was worried about her daughter.  It might make her a bad person, but she didn’t understand why she had to lose her daughter in order to save her brother.  _Why should she be in pain for this?_ She silently questioned to herself. 

“Emma….I…” Snow started, but Emma didn’t hear her.

Emma just stared at her.  Her green eyes were full of fire and something that no one could pinpoint.  She was readying for a fight that wasn’t going to actually happen and they all knew it.  She was preparing for a showdown.  She was looking for a fight.  Snow knew that it was the one thing that was keeping her in Storybrooke.  If she had something to fight, then she wouldn’t run.  It would be her stubborn pride that kept her with her family and nothing else. 

Ruby watched them.  She could smell the emotions rolling off of them.  She was still afraid of what Regina was going to do once she told her what Coraline’s plan originally was and now what she thought she should do due to their rushed timeline.

Ruby was about to say something when she saw Blue coming towards them.  There was something about the look in her eyes that settled Ruby a little.  She didn’t know what it was, but she hoped that it was good news.

“Ruby, if you’ll come from me.  Regina wants to speak with you.  Snow, I’ll have Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather come take you to a room.  Emma, I’ll be back soon.  Don’t fret, child.  We will overcome this,” Blue told them.

“Don’t make promises that you can’t keep,” Emma muttered before turning back to the room that Coraline was in.

Blue watched as both Ruby and Snow turned to say something to her, but they were too late as Emma reentered the room.  She could see the pain in all their eyes, but Emma’s was different.  It was darker.  She wondered how she was going to fare once everything was over with and she feared for Emma’s sake.  She wondered how much more craziness she could actually take before she ran for the town line and never looked back.

She watched as three other fairies came down the corridor.  She ushered Snow off with them and promised to be by the room after she had dealt with Ruby.  Once she knew that Snow was on her way, Blue grabbed Ruby by the wrist and pulled her along.  She didn’t want her to faze before they got to the room.  But, then Blue wasn’t sure that she would be able to faze once she was in the room where Regina was waiting.  It would be interesting to see. 

Ruby followed along and with each step her heart sank a little more.  She knew that Regina was going to be mad and disappointed in her for not saying anything sooner.  The thing that had her worried the most was that Regina was not with Emma.  She was in this room far away from the cloisters, her lover and her daughter.  She wondered what was so special about this room and why Blue was taking her there.

“She’s just inside.”

“I know.  I can smell her.  What is this place?  It smells funny,” Ruby told her.

“It is a special room that the fairies and I created when magic was awoken in town.”

“Special room?”

“It was a new cell for Rumple,” Blue stated. 

“How will that affect me?” Ruby asked suddenly more cautious than curious.

“I’m not sure.  It may do nothing at all.  It may make you faze.  To be honest, we’ve never had a shapeshifter in it.  I don’t believe that your magic is evil.  Therefore, nothing should happen.”

“Well…thanks, I guess for the warning,” Ruby stated and ducked into the room.

She felt a weird buzzing on her skin, but nothing more.  She didn’t feel like she wanted to faze, but she didn’t feel like she couldn’t either.  She walked around a little until she saw Regina in the corner.  She walked over to her older sister and crouched down to her.

“Regina?” she stated nearing her.

It was then that she saw how Regina was sitting.  She was all drawn up into the corner.  Her arms were wrapped around her knees as they were sitting just under her chin.  She looked wounded and defeated.  Ruby hadn’t seen her like this ever.  Her heart was breaking for her.

“Gina?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked Ruby quietly.

“Coraline asked me not to.  I didn’t want to betray her trust.  But, to be honest with you, I just find out yesterday.  I still haven’t had a lot of time to process what she told me,” Ruby answered.

“I am not mad.  I should be furious, but I’m not.  I can’t be.”

“Why not?”

“She knew what I would do if we had found out early enough,” Regina stated.

“Early enough?” Ruby questioned.

“We can’t wait to do the transfer.  We are going to have to do it tonight.  The fairies can’t keep the Darkness at bay much longer and Coraline is losing the fight, too.”

“But, I need three days…”

Regina turned her head and looked up at her younger sister.  Dark brown eyes and hazel eyes stared at each other.  Neither of them knew what to think.  They didn’t know what to do.  They didn’t know how to help the other deal with this.  They were at a loss.

“Why do you need three days, Ruby?” Regina asked her.

Ruby wanted to falter.  She wanted to run away but she knew that she couldn’t.  She needed to be there for her sister.  She needed to do this for Coraline.  She was the only one that really could.  She needed to make sure that everything was ready.

“Well…”

“Wolf pup, you will tell me what she had planned and you will tell me now,” Regina told her as she moved her knees down and rolled up on to them.

Regina rose up on her knees to meet Ruby eye to eye.  She was trying to be intimidating and get what she wanted.  She knew that Ruby would tell her, but some habits die hard.  It didn’t matter that Ruby was her baby sister, the Evil Queen was there to protect Regina and Regina was in pain.  Ruby knew it, too. 

“Calm down, majesty, I’ll tell you,” Ruby stated as she watched Regina sit back on her heels.

Regina felt her blood run cold.  She knew that she was reverting, but there was nothing that she could do about it.  This room would keep her even if she didn’t want to be.  She realized why Blue left her in there.  Regina could freak out and no one would get hurt.  _Maybe the Bug had a use after all_ , Regina thought.  She reached out and grabbed Ruby hand, needing to be connected to another person at that time.  She knew that news wasn’t going to be good, but she needed to hear it.  She needed to know. 

“Coraline told me that I was the only one that could handle what needed to be done.  She knew that I wouldn’t be happy about doing it, but that I would do it.  She knew that Snow, Charming, you and Emma would be too emotional to do it.  And, Henry wasn’t even a thought.  She didn’t want to scar her brother.”

“What do you need to do?” Regina asked again.

“I am supposed to guard her body while her heart is in Neal’s body.  The hearts are to reside together in Neal for three days.  During that time, she knows that the Darkness will take her over.  I will be Red while I doing this, but before that I was to prepare her tomb.”

“Her tomb?” Regina asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.

“Yes, her tomb,” Ruby answered.

“She will be buried in the family vault.  Why would she need a tomb?  What aren’t you telling me, Ruby?” Regina questioned.

Ruby hung her head.  She didn’t want to tell Regina this part.  She knew that it would break, but she also knew that Regina needed to know.  Coraline wasn’t going to tell them unless she was doing it to be spiteful because she had fully succumbed to the Darkness.  Regina must have felt her uneasiness about the situation.  She reached out and tipped up Ruby chin with her fingers.  When their eyes met, Ruby sobbed.  She couldn’t hold it in.

“I am her aunt.”

“I know that, Wolf Pup,” Regina answered.

“But, I became like a mother to her,” Ruby stated.

“I know.  And, I am proud of the woman that she became thanks to you and Belle, Ruby.  She loves you both.  Now what did she ask you to do?” Regina urged.

“She wants me to bury her in the well.”

“The well?  The well in the woods?  The magic well?”

“Yes,” Ruby replied simply.

“Why the well?”

“Because I am going to seal her in it.”

“Seal her in it?” Regina questioned.

Ruby just looked at her.  She didn’t want to say it.  She couldn’t say it.  She hoped that Regina would understand her meaning.  She shook her head as Regina just continued to glare, waiting for answer that she didn’t, couldn’t, wouldn’t speak.

“Alive?” Regina finally stammered out the inquiry.

“Yes.”

Ruby fell over.  She couldn’t hold herself up anymore.  She felt like a small burden had been lifted, but it wasn’t enough to take the heaviness off her heart.

“Red…” Regina said as warning.

Ruby looked up at her.  She could see the violet floating in her eyes.  She knew that Regina wasn’t calling the magic, but her emotions were.  There was nothing that she could say now that would calm her down.  She knew that she needed to explain more, but she didn’t know if Regina would actually listen to what she had to say.

“I am not happy about it, Regina.”

“Then why did you agree to do it?”

“What would you do for your dying daughter?!?” Ruby hissed back in question.

Regina rocked back again, having not realized that she had sat forward.  She couldn’t believe what she was doing.  She was trying to Evil Queen her sister, Ruby, who even through everything, still stood by her and supported her, who was still supporting her through her daughter and her daughter’s wishes.

“I’m sorry,” Regina replied.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“What else do you need to tell me?”

“After three days of guard her body, you will remove Neal’s heart and put it in her body.  She will let the Darkness consume his heart and she will fully become the Dark One.  After three days, I will dispose of her into the well and seal her inside.  She hopes that the magic of the well will be enough to encapsulate her and the Dark One’s powers.  She doesn’t want to be unleashed on the populace.  She is doing this for the good of everyone, including herself.”

“Why?”

“Would you want your daughter to see her own grave in the vault?” Ruby countered.

“I can see that point, but why the well?”

“She hopes that she can find some of the healing waters inside it.  She is trying to restore herself in the only way she can.  If you or Emma try to take on the curse…”

“We’ll die,” Regina said softly.

“Yes, and not to mention your magic…”

“I see.”

“She thinks that this is the best outcome.”

“Of course she does,” Regina mused.

“She is a Charming after all.”

“Don’t remind me,” Regina stated.

“Regina?”

“Yes, Red?”

“Do you think she’ll survive in that well?” Ruby asked her.

“I don’t know.”

“Why do you think she is asking to be entombed in there?”

“I think she is doing it in order to find a way to overcome the curse.  If she does, then she will find a way to let us know.  And, then we will find a way to release her from the other side.  I think she is going to use the well to go back to the Enchanted Forest.  What she does while she’s there is anyone’s guess, Ruby.  I cannot say what her intentions are.  She didn’t tell me anything.  She told you what she needed you to do.  She was giving us each just a little bit to do, but when it came to Will, Emma and I, she gave us nothing.  Do you know why?” Regina asked her.

“No.”

“I need to talk with her again, then,” Regina stated. 

“What about Snow?”

“What about her?” Regina asked, rising to stand.

“Aren’t you going to talk to her first?” 

“Yeah, I am.  I need to get back to Emma.  I don’t want her to feel alone.”

“I’ll go back to her.”

“No, you need to go prepare Coraline’s tomb.”

“What?!?  Why?  I figured you would just put her in the mausoleum,” Ruby stated.

“I can’t imprison her in there, Red.  It would actually drive her insane.  No, she has made her choice and I will stand by it.  I don’t know why she wants to be entombed in the well, but it is her choice.  Go do what she asked of you.  I’ll talk to her myself about it,” Regina answered.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Wolf Pup, I am.”

Ruby just nodded at her.  She didn’t know what else to say.  She knew that she had her sister’s love, understand and forgiveness.  Now, she needed to find it in herself.  She would go and do as Coraline has asked.  She would prepare the well.  She would ask Marco to help her.  He might be the only one that could without asking too many questions.  She was upset that she was leaving them alone, but she knew that Regina would protect them all until she could get back.  And, if anything did happen, Regina would call her back immediately.

“Go, Ruby.  I’ll watch over everyone.  It will be fine,” Regina told as she neared the door.

Ruby held the door for a moment.  Her heart was telling her to stay, but her brain was telling her go.  She left and hoped to be back that night.  She didn’t want to be away from them long.

Regina watched her go.  She shut the door behind her.  She needed a moment to herself.  She needed to break down before she went back to Emma, before she talked with Snow, and definitely before she discussed anything with Coraline again.  She knew that this might be her only chance.  She sat back on the floor and leaned against the door.

For once, she was thankful that Emma had her dressed in sensible clothes.  Today she wasn’t the mayor.  Today she wasn’t the Evil Queen.  Today she was nothing more than Coraline’s mother.  Nothing else mattered.

She hugged herself around the middle.  She wanted to hold the tiny life growing inside her.  She wanted to protect her from everything, but most of all, she didn’t want her daughter to become the same woman that was lying on a cot in another part of the Abbey.  She wanted Coraline to everything that she didn’t.  She wanted Coraline to have everything that Emma didn’t.  She wanted Coraline to be happy, loved and free from the Darkness.  And, she absolutely hated the fact that she had to lose her in order for her to get that.  Magically it made sense, but logically it didn’t.  She knew that, but it didn’t make it any easier for her heart and head to agree.

 

Emma hadn’t realized that she had fallen asleep until she woke up.  She barely remembered Snow coming in the room to check on her.  She had been too intent on watching the destruction of her daughter right before her to care what else was going on.  She looked around the room again to realize that Regina hadn’t come back.

She began to wonder if Regina would come back.  All sorts of thoughts were flying through her head.  Would this destroy their budding relationship?  Could Regina not facing losing Coraline?  What was Regina thinking leaving her alone like this?  Did she know that Emma was a runner?  Did she understand how this was killing her inside?  Why wasn’t Regina doing something more?  Could they do something more?  She couldn’t stop thinking.

She let out a sigh and stood up.  She stretched her back and popped her neck.  When the sound echoed through the room, she realized how alone she really was in that moment.  There was no one else besides the bedridden Coraline in there with her.  When had the fairies left?  Was Coraline dead?  She took a step towards her.  As she got a little closer, she could see the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

Emma let out a breath.  Coraline was still alive.  She didn’t know how and she didn’t care.  Her daughter was still breathing, and while she was breathing Emma could have hope.  Dum Spiro Spero.

She looked down at her daughter.  Her dark brown hair was starting to show signs of blond on the ends.  The gentle waves were aggravated from the convulsions and the time spent in the bed.  She looked peaceful as she was sleeping, but Emma knew that she was anything but at the moment.  She knew what the Darkness was doing to her head and Emma wanted to cry.  She wanted to touch her, but she was afraid to do so at the same time.  She reached out to brush a strand of hair from her face, a move that was so unconscious and loving that she didn’t realize that she was doing it until the blanket fell back some, uncovering Coraline’s arms.

She drew back in shock.  She couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen them before.  Why hadn’t she noticed them?  Then she remembered that Coraline hadn’t had her arms exposed.  The blanket had been covering her when Emma woke up days ago.  Why hadn’t she seen that?

“Belle...” she whispered.

“What about her?” Coraline asked, opening her eyes and looking at her mother’s worried green eyes.

Emma’s head turned sharply.  She didn’t know what to say.  She didn’t know who she would be talking to at that time.  Was it Coraline or was it the Dark One?  She sat there speechless as Coraline started to sit up.  Her eyes went wide as she noticed Coraline noticing the bracelets on her arms.  A flash of green shown in her eyes, but Coraline didn’t say anything.  She just continued to pull herself up into a sitting position.  She watched Emma the entire time.  It was like they were feeling each other out again, unsure of what to say or do.

“Belle, what about her?” Coraline asked again and this time Emma could hear the concern in her voice.

Emma blinked.  She took a calming breath.  She decided that the Darkness had receded just enough to allow Coraline to shine through.  She just hoped that she was right.  She didn’t want to give her daughter any ammunition against her.  She knew from her experiences with Rumple just how twisted the Dark One could be.  This time it was different and it wasn’t just because Coraline was her daughter.  It was because she loved her, truly loved her daughter and didn’t want to give her up.  She knew in that instant what Belle had gone through for years dealing with Rumple’s shit.  She shook her head.  There was nothing else to do but hope.  She was a Charming by blood and it was what they did, they hoped.

“Ma?”

Emma’s head snapped up to meet her daughter’s gaze.  She realized that it really was Coraline that was talking to her at that point.  She could hear the uncertainty and pain in her voice.  One simple word and Emma’s heart broke again.  She wanted to hold her, coddle her, be her mother, but she knew that she couldn’t.  Not now, not when Coraline was the Dark One.  Everything had changed between them and then again, nothing had changed.  They would always be parent and child.  They would always love each other, but it would be how they showed that love now that would make or break them.

“Ma?” she whispered hoping that Emma would answer her.

Coraline couldn’t take the silence.  It was deafening and she was already dying...slowly.  She needed these connections now, before she lost everything.  She hoped that Emma would just give her this time.

“Ma?” she tried again.

“Yes, Coraline,” Emma finally replied.

“I’m sorry.”

Emma fell herself sob.  She couldn’t stop it.  She was too tired to care and too weak with emotion.  She knew that she needed to be strong for both Coraline and Regina, but she couldn’t.  She needed to break.  She needed to not be the Saviour for a while.  She needed....

“It isn’t your fault,” Emma told her.

“But, it is,” Coraline replied.

Emma turned away.  She couldn’t meet her eyes.  She didn’t want see anything in them.  She stared at the ceiling and let out a huffing breath.  She was trying to stop her crying.  She was trying to center herself and be strong.  She let out another hard breath.  She tried counting, a throwback to her days in foster care, but it wasn’t helping too much.

“How is it your fault, Coraline?”

“I allowed this to happen.”

“You didn’t.  You came here to stop the Darkness.  And, you have.  The only problem is you’ve taken it on now.  We know that your mother doesn’t become the Dark One after it attacks the castle.  You’ve saved the family.  You’ve done what you came to do,” Emma told her.

“But, I am tearing you apart now,” Coraline muttered.

“You aren’t doing anything, Coraline.  You were still trying to protect us.  We are just grieving for you.”

“But, you shouldn’t be,” Coraline stated.

“You can’t dictate how we feel, Kiddo.  It doesn’t work like that.  Don’t get me wrong, though.  I am ecstatic that Regina is pregnant.  I am happy that you are going to be born.  I hope that I get to have a happy and long life with you.  I can’t wait to watch you grow up.  But, that doesn’t mean that I am not going to be sad that I am losing you now.  I’ve seen the woman that you become due to life you had to live and I am proud of you.  But, hopefully now, I get to witness you become a powerful and beautiful woman.  I get to be there for all your firsts.  So, I am happy, but at the same time I am sad.  I can’t help it,” Emma explained as she leaned forward towards Coraline’s cot, no longer caring if Coraline did anything to her, because she just needed to be nearer to her daughter.

“When did you get those?” Emma asked her.

“I am sure that it was after I awoke.”

“I don’t remember seeing them.”

“I know, Ma.  It’s okay.  I understand why they did it.”

“Why who did it?”

“Mom and the fairies.”

“Your mother did that?”

“I don’t know for sure, but makes sense.  She knows the most about magic here.  She would know what to do in order to help me fight against the growing Darkness in me,” Coraline said.

“You don’t care?”

“No, I don’t”

“Why not?”

“Why should I?”

“You’re bound,” Emma stated.

“Would you rather I be allowed to run around Storybrooke with the full powers of the Dark One?  I am not sure that I am capable to be trusted with that much power. I am full of shameful and selfish thoughts.  I am sure that it wouldn’t be good for me.  I am trying to fight the power, not abuse it.  Being bound is a good thing,” Coraline told her.

“But, you’ve got magic on your own.  Isn’t that enough?  You aren’t angry that you’re bound?  You can’t use any of the magic.  That doesn’t bother you?”

“Why does it bother you?” Coraline countered.

Emma shut her mouth.  She didn’t understand why it did.  She couldn’t pinpoint why she was so angry that Coraline was bound.  Maybe it was the fact that the bracelets had been made by Rumple and she didn’t want anything that he made to touch her.  She was becoming more and more angered by her daughter’s condition. 

“Ma?”

“Yeah, Kiddo?”

“Go find Mom and talk to her.  I know that you are getting angry, but don’t.  At least not about this.  There are better things for you to dwell on now.  You’ve got a baby on the way.  Go to Mom.  Be with her.  Love her and love the little me inside her.  Don’t worry about me.  I’ll be okay.  We’ve made sure of that, Ma.  We’ve done it,” Coraline told her.

“Who put them on you?” Emma demanded totally dismissing her daughter’s world.

 

Snow sat in the room with Blue.  She watched as the other fairies waved their wands around the walls.  She was not ready for this.  She was never going to be ready for this.  Time was forcing their hands again when it came to their child.  Desperation was becoming a necessity of the Charming family and Snow hated it.  She needed Regina, as bad as their past was, to lean on.

“Where’s Regina?” Snow asked Blue.

“Thinking,” Blue stated.

“She still here?”

“I put her somewhere that she could think without interruption and without any distractions.”

“Why?” Snow questioned.

“Because she needed it.  I’ve watched her over the last few days, Snow.  This was eating her alive.  She needed an outlet, but she won’t leave the Abbey.  She doesn’t want to be too far away from Emma or Coraline in case they need her.  I understood and I gave her somewhere to go.”

“Why would you do that?”

Blue looked at the younger brunette.  She saw the puzzlement in her hazel eyes.  She just smiled.

“Because even the Queen needs an off day,” Blue told her.

There was something about the way Blue said it that made Snow smile.  She knew that Blue was right.  Regina would need an outlet.  They didn’t want her bottling it up and becoming the full-fledged Evil Queen again.  They needed her to be upset, but still have her head on her shoulders.

“Is she okay?”

“As okay as she can be,” Blue stated.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Love your son and your daughter,” Blue answered.

“I meant about Regina,” Snow stated.

“So did I.”

Blue watched her as it sank in.  She wasn’t asking her to do anything out of the ordinary.  She was asking her to be the mother that she knew that Snow could be.  She wasn’t asking for some heroic measure and maybe that was why it upset her so much.  Regina didn’t need her or some grand overture of support and love.  She needed Snow to be human and love her family.

“But, she is going to need someone to blame..  “

“She has that,” Blue slated.

“Who?”

“Rumpelstiltskin,” Blue answered matter-of-factually.

“What about someone to be there for her?”

“That is where Emma and Henry come in.  What she needs from you is for you to support on them and your family.  She isn’t going to want to be coddled and cuddled.  She is going to want to move on and push through her pain.  Snow.  She is going to need you to help them help her to do that,” Blue replied.

“I want to do something for her.  I feel like I owe her that, Blue.  I owe her because I am the reason that she is unhappy.  I always have been.  If our lives had never intersected, she might have been happy.  I can’t stop thinking about that,” Snow stated.

“You have to,” Regina said.

Blue smiled at the Queen.  She hadn’t seen her come into the room, but she felt her presence.  Snow was aghast to know that Regina heard what she said.  Hazel met chocolate and a silent, emotional gaze was shared.

“Snow, you have to let go.  We have to forgive each other.  This situation isn’t your fault.”

“Isn’t it?” Snow asked, tears springing to her eyes.

“Blue, would you mind?” Regina asked the fairy.

“I’ll go check on Ruby and Emma.  Don’t take long, ladies.  They both need you tonight.”

Regina watched Blue leave the room.  She waited until the door shut before she took a seat near Snow.  She picked up one of her hands and held it.  She was closer to Snow than she had been in years.  It made her think of the times when she wasn’t so angry with her in castle, before she’d killed Leopold.  Their eyes met and held. 

“Snow, I know that you are scared.  I am too, but we don’t have to be.  We have to be strong for our family.  We have to show them that we will make it through this.”

“You want me to show no emotion?” Snow asked her.

“No, dear, I would never ask you to do that.  My mother did that to me and we both know what happened as a result of that.  No, I am just saying that we need to help everyone through this.  We need to step and be the leaders of this town.  Everyone is hurting, but this isn’t our fault.”

“Then who’s is it?”

“Rumple’s.  This is all on Rumple.  What may happen in the future hasn’t happened for us yet.  I know what you’re thinking, but you can’t blame yourself for doing something that you might not do now.  For Coraline, you might have released the Darkness and I ended up becoming the newest Dark One, but for us, none of that has happened.  I cannot be angry at you for something that I don’t know that you’ll do because we have changed so much of Coraline’s future.”

“How can you know that?” Snow asked.

“Because she is now the Dark One,” Regina admitted.

Snow gasped.  The woman that was a white as a pure white actually blanched.  She opened and closed her mouth like a fish, unsure of what to say to Regina’s revelation. 

“But…how?  When?  Why didn’t…. Are you sure?”

“Yes, Snow, but that isn’t the point at the moment.”

“Then what is?!?” Snow exclaimed in question.

“She is still giving her heart to Neal.  She is still upholding her promise to fix the future.  The fairies have taken precautions with her heart.  There are no worries for your son,” Regina said.

“And, my daughter?”

“Is my concern,” Regina replied quickly.

“You don’t think that she is actually going to go along with this plan, do you?”

“She doesn’t like it, but she isn’t going to stop us from doing it.  We’ve all talked about this.  She didn’t want to do it because she was going to lose her daughter.  She understands that I am pregnant with Coraline, but that doesn’t stop the pain of watching your child die.  It never will I am afraid.  But, we both know that if we don’t do this, then Coraline’s trip here will have been in vain.  She would have come back only to become the Dark One.  And, that would only complicate her upbringing.  This is one point that I can actually agree with Coraline about.”

“Yeah?”

“Would you want to grow up knowing when you die or when you turn into the epitome of evil?”

Snow sat there for a moment.  She knew that she wouldn’t want to know either future for herself and certainly wouldn’t want to know them for her children.  She could understand where Regina was coming from, but it wasn’t making the situation any easier for any of them.  Understanding and emotional responses didn’t always have to agree and this was the perfect situation to express that.  Regina was being sensible.  She got that.  But, she was worried about Emma’s fragile emotional state.  Would she be able to handle it? 

“What about Emma?”

“What about her?”

“Is she okay?”

“You saw her reaction to the news, Snow,” Regina replied.

“I did?”

“Yes,” Regina said simply.

“When she came running out of the Abbey earlier?”

“Yes.”

“How are you so calm?” Snow questioned.

“Years of practice, Dear.  Years of practice and a very overbearing mother, I really didn’t have a choice.  Now, I do and I don’t want the people of the town or my family, including you and Charming, to believe that I am not capable of doing what needs to be done in order to save us.  It is tearing me up inside, but I cannot let that stop me.”

“She’s your daughter,” Snow countered.

“She is and I love her with all my heart.  But, she is suffering.  She was suffering.  If I can alleviate some of her pain by doing this, then I will without some hesitation.  Can you sit there and judge me about this?  You sent your daughter through a magically carved tree to a land you had idea about or even if she would survive because it was her best chance.  You did what you thought you had to do, Snow.  Of course, Emma and I both judge you for that, but in the end, we understand.  Coraline judges us for flying into death to protect her.  She blames us for her being an orphan.  Her young brain couldn’t contemplate the fact that we did what we did in order to protect her,” Regina explained.

“And, now?”

“Being here with us, getting to know her family, all of it and the people of the town, she gets it.  Like Emma, she had to see the interactions.  She needed to see things for herself.  Once she did, she realized that she had been going about things in the wrong way.”

“That’s why she came to you?”

“Came to me?” Regina asked.

“When Rumple kicked her out of Belle’s house,” Snow replied.

“Partially, yes, it is.  I am her mother.  She has never forgotten that.  And just like Emma, she came to her mother when there didn’t seem to be any other person to go.  She could have chosen Belle or Ruby, but she didn’t.  She came to my house, to her mother, because the bond between parent and child, no matter how strained, is never entirely broken.”

“I know,” Snow said with a small sigh and a smile.

“Emma loves you.  You are her mother, Snow.  She would do anything for you.  But, you have to understand that she thought you didn’t want her.  When she realized that you did, she had to come to grips with the fact that you did what you did in order to protect her.  But, she wasn’t wrong when she told you that you would both be cursed together if you’d kept her.  For my part in that scenario, I can’t say what I wouldn’t have done had you kept her.  I probably wouldn’t have had you raise her, but then under the curse, she wouldn’t have aged.  So we will never know how she would have broken the curse had she been under it.  Fate intervened for us all.”

“And it is again?”

“I don’t know, possibly.  I can’t say what the future holds.  I can only hope that we are doing the right thing.  I am losing my daughter, Snow, but then again, I am not.  That in itself is hard enough to deal with.  It is compounded by the realization that my lover, your daughter, our daughter’s other mother is so emotional that she is refusing to see reason.  I love her, Snow, but I know that I am going to be the one to make the hard decisions.  I accept that.  I know that it might drive a wedge between us, but I swear to you right now, right here, that I will never stop loving your daughter or my family.  No matter what comes, I will always love them,” Regina told her, her voice breaking with conviction.


	53. Chapter 53

Regina had been pacing in the room alone.  She needed to calm herself down.  She knew that she needed to go speak with Emma.  They needed to talk.  She knew what Coraline was planning and she knew that Emma had a right to know.  She was just wondering how she was going to tell her.

Blue came back in the room, slowly.  She could see Regina pacing and knew that she needed to announce herself before surprised Regina.  She took a tentative step forward and cleared her throat.  She watched as Regina stopped pacing and turned, fully, to face her.

“Yes?”

“Snow is settled.”

“That’s good,” Regina replied.

“We can do the transfer whenever you’d like.  Right now, there is no rush, but we need to probably do it before the morning.  Is there anything you need, majesty?” Blue asked her.

“Tell me again that you’ve looked into this,” Regina commanded.

“Regina, we have consulted every book that we can.  Belle even brought me things from the library and Rumple’s stash.  I’ve even looked through your extensive library and vault.  There is nothing that we can do.  The Dark One Curse is the worst personal curse from our world.  We have exhausted every avenue.”

“But, you’ve been pulling the darkness out of her,” Regina stated.

“We have.”

“Why?”

“To buy us some more time, but I knew it wouldn’t be enough.  We protected her heart in order to keep the darkness away from it for Neal’s sake as soon as she told us what she was doing.  I wanted to remove then, but she would fully succumb to the Darkness and we’d lose her completely.  I knew that wasn’t option.  Besides, Neal wasn’t ready to accept her heart then.”

“What do you need to do?”

“I’ll handle it, Regina.  Don’t worry about the boy.  You take care of Emma and Coraline.  That is all you need to worry about ta the moment.  I’ll handle everything else,” Blue told her.

“What about her tomb?” Regina questioned wondering if Blue knew everything.

“Her tomb?” Blue responded.

“Yes, her tomb,” Regina replied.

“Regina, we both know that she is the new Dark One.  She isn’t connected to the dagger.  The Darkness owns her now.  I am not even sure that True Love could save her.  You, Emma and Will have kissed her and it has done nothing.  If she is fully the Dark One, she is immortal.  The only way for her to die is for her to give the curse to someone else.  I doubt that you are going to allow anyone that right and you know that.  So what are you talking about a tomb for?”

“She wants to be buried alive and entombed in order to encapsulate the Dark One.”

“Well, this is the first I’ve heard of it,” Blue stated.

“Is that even possible?”

“If she allows it, then yes, it could be.  Once she is entombed it would be up to her to free herself.  I don’t know why she would want that.  To be entombed like that…it would drive her crazy.  I can’t fathom why she would do that to herself, being the Dark One is tough enough.”

“She wants time in order to deal with the evilness of the darkness.  I believe she thinks that she can come to terms with the Darkness.  I don’t know if she can or not, Blue, but I am not sure that entombing her is the answer to protecting us from the Darkness inside her,” Regina replied.

“How would you go about doing something to rid yourself of that evil darkness?” Blue asked.

“Why would you ask me that?”

“Because she is your daughter and you know how she thinks.  She thinks like you.  She thinks like Emma.  So, how would you approach it?” Blue questioned.

Regina looked at her.  She knew that Blue was right.  Coraline was her daughter and she was doing what she thought that she had to do in order to protect her family, even her unborn self.  She had to dig deep and she knew that she had to do it quickly.  She didn’t have time to be weak and unthinking.  She had to think of things and remain strong not only for herself and her family, but also for the Charmings, Red and the entire town.  She could not fall apart.

“Coraline is doing this to help us remain strong,” Blue told her.

Regina began pacing again.  Now, she was thinking.  She wasn’t worrying.  She was trying to figure out how to make things better and how to make it as painless for all in involved.  She knew that it wasn’t going to be easy.  She didn’t want easy because if things were easy something would always go wrong and too many people would be hurt.  She couldn’t let that happen.  She couldn’t let people get hurt if she could avoid it at all costs.

She thought about what she would do about being the Dark One.  It was the only way she could plan and help Coraline through her transition.  She had to think about how Coraline would deal with this.  She needed to think about Emma.  She knew once she got everything together in her head she would come up with a plan.  She didn’t know whether it would be a good plan or if it would even work, but she had to try.

“You’ve been talking with Belle?” Regina asked out of the blue.

“Yes, I have, but I’ve already told you that there isn’t anything more that can help us.”

“But, there is, we just weren’t thinking about it in the right way,” Regina stated.

“What do you mean?”

“Bring me Belle, Blue.  I need to talk to her alone.  There is something that might help us just a little bit more than we ever thought that they could,” Regina told her.

“As you wish, Majesty, but I hope that you’ll clue me in on this plan of yours, soon.”

Regina just smiled at the head fairy and resumed her pacing.  She needed to think of way to tell Emma her plan.  She knew that Emma would freak out once she knew what she wanted to do, so she was wondering if she could pull a “mea culpa” after the fact.  She would talk it over with Blue and Belle when they returned.  She just hoped that she was right. 

An hour or so later, Regina wasn’t sure of the time, Belle entered the room.  She looked at Regina and immediately understood why she wanted to meet alone.  They had an uneasy alliance, but they made it work, not only for themselves, but the town.  They were becoming friends.  Belle knew that Regina told her things that she didn’t tell Ruby.  There were just some things that you can’t tell your sister.

“Regina, what’s wrong?” Belle asked her.

“Coraline is becoming the Dark One,” Regina told her.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“What do you need me to do?” Belle asked her.

“I need to know if you still have the bracelets that Rumple made to dampen magical powers.”

“I am not sure.  I can go look.  He has so much in the shop.  I haven’t fully cataloged it all.  I want to return some of it back to their rightful owners.  I am just not sure of what we have.  I am sorry.  I’ve been trying for years to itemize everything, but with all the craziness and Rumple himself, I just haven’t found the time needed to do it,” Belle told her.

“I understand that.  I do.  But, I need them.  I need them now.”

“I’ll go look, but it would be easier if I had help.  Who can we trust enough to go?  I know that Snow is here with David and Neal, so I can’t ask them.  I don’t want to take you away from Emma and Coraline.  What about Ruby?” Belle questioned out loud as she thought it through.

“Ruby is guarding Coraline’s body per her wishes,” Regina said flatly.

“Guarding her body?”

“It is a task that Coraline has asked of her and one that Red is taking seriously.  I wouldn’t ask her for help.  She has her own problems with Coraline to take care of in the next few days.  I would say take a fairy, but they are all working on helping Coraline and Neal.”

“Who do you trust, Regina?  Who is town can I ask?  Archie?”

“The bug?  I trust him, but he wouldn’t know what to be looking for, honestly,” Regina started, turned sharply to look into Belle’s big blue eyes, and finished.  “Take Henry.  He’s been wanting something to do.  Take him.  He’ll know what to look for and he’ll understand the need for quickness, calmness, and secrecy in the matter.”

“Are you sure you want to involve him?” Belle asked knowing how protective of him that Regina really was.

“He is her older brother.  He is already involved in this by blood.  He doesn’t think that we trust him enough to do anything related to crises that we face in town.  He is getting older.  I need to let him help when he can without stressing about too much.  Plus, he worked for Rumple years ago.  He knows the shop.  I am sure that he wants to get away from the convent for a while, too.”

“Only if you’re sure, Regina,” Belle stated.

“Please, Belle, I don’t know of anyone else.”

“Alright, I’ll take him with me,” Belle told her taking her hands and holding them.

“Can you go buy Granny’s and get some food as well?  We are going to be here for the duration and I am not sure that anyone is going to want to leave to get food.  It will be nice to have it here if someone does decide to eat,” Regina stated.

“I can do that.”

“Please, tell no one what you are doing.”

“I won’t.  I’ll be back before you know it.  We’ll get through this, Regina.  We always do.”

Regina smirked before she said, “Keep reminding me of that like Emma does and one day I might actually believe in the crazy positivity that you and the Charmings do, dear.”

Belle smiled and left.  Regina was alone again.  She knew that Emma was going to blow up when she realized what she was doing.  They had promised to never limit what their children could do and Regina was about to bind Coraline’s magic.  She shook her head.  She had to do it in order to help her.  Emma would just have to see that.  They didn’t have time to argue.  They had to act and they had to act now.

She left the room to go check on Emma.  She knew that she would be back in there shortly, though.  As soon as she hit the hallways of the cloisters and the convent, she could feel her anger rising.  The room kept her calm and collected and that is what they needed from her at the moment.  They needed the Queen and not Regina, the mother.  And, she would give them the Queen.  She would find a way to save her daughter.

 

Sometime in the future, in the woods, location unknown

Red was pacing.  She was tired of waiting.  It had been years, but she still didn’t have the answers she was looking for.  There had been no word and there was no evidence to explain the mysterious changes in the well. 

_Where are you, Regina?_ Red kept pacing.  She felt some old stirring inside her that she couldn’t explain.  What was it about this place that always made her on edge?  She had been out for her monthly run when she noticed the broken well.  Now the sun was up and Regina wasn’t there. 

Suddenly a plume of purple smoke appeared next to her and out of it was Regina.  She regarded the well before she looked down at her sister’s Wolf form.  She paced a circle around the well.

“How long?” she asked.

Red fazed into Ruby.  When she looked on Regina with her hazel eyes and not her yellow, she saw the cloak in Regina’s hands.  She took it willingly and smiled softly, weakly, at her sister.

“I found it last night,” Ruby told her. 

“Why were you running out here?”

“I don’t know.  I always do.  The well has always held some sort of comfort for me.”

“Did you see anyone?  Smell anyone? Anything?” Regina asked her.

“Nothing or no one.  Regina, should we be scared?  I know that the well had magically properties but it had been covered for years.  Is there a reason that we should be worried about this?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“No, but part of me is worried.”

“Why?” Ruby asked her.

“Because we both know that this is the well that Rumple used to bring magic back.  This is the one thing that no matter what realm we are in, it goes with us.  It is the birth place for the magic in Storybrooke.  Its waters are restorative.  But for some reason, we covered it.  So, yes part of me is worried, but I can’t exactly tell you why,” Regina answered.

“There is a name on the cap,” Ruby stated.

“A name?”

“Yes.”

“What is it about this name that bothers you so much, Wolf Pup?” Regina asked.

“The name inscribed on the inside of the broken cap is Coraline Danielle French.”

Regina gasped.  It couldn’t be.  How could one of the names that she and Emma had been debating for their young daughter be on the inside of the well cap?  How did it get there?

“French?” Regina asked.

“Yes,” Ruby answered.

“Isn’t your daughter named Coraline Danielle?”

“She is, Regina.  You know that.  Belle and I asked you if you would be okay with that before her naming ceremony.  We wanted to honor you for everything that you have done for us.”

“I know that, Wolf Pup.  I was honored that you asked.  Emma and Snow were even surprised that you both came to that choice for the young princess.”

“We are family and we should support each other.  You are my sister, Regina.  We’ve never honestly been at each other, even when you were after Snow.  You’ve always taken care of all of us.  Naming my daughter after Daniel and a mixture of your mother and Emma was a way to honor you both.  I know that many are afraid of using Cora’s name that is why we chose it.  We wanted to honor your side of the family line, Regina.”

“I know all this, Red, but that still doesn’t explain the name inscribed on the cap stone.”

“I don’t either, my Queen, but I do know that it is carved in my hand,” Ruby told her.

“Show me,” Regina demanded.

They stepped around the circumference of the well until they were near the pile of rocks, concrete pieces and other large bits of mortar that had come from the top of well.  Once they were at the pile, Regina noticed that almost the entire top of the well was gone.  There was only a few feet left above ground. 

Regina knelt down to the ground.  She ran her hands over the stones.  She could feel old magic radiating from the ruble.  She turned to look up at Ruby, whose eyes were rimming in yellow.  She knew in that instant that Ruby could feel it, too.  They didn’t know what caused it, but they would research it, because it was what they did about all things magical that they didn’t know about fully. 

 “What do we need to do?” Ruby asked her.

“I don’t know.”

“I’ll post sentries around to make sure that we are protected until we know what’s going on.  Don’t worry, Regina.  Well make sure that Emma and Remy are protected.  I am sure that Will will want to come out here and check it herself.  You know how protective of Remy, she is.”

“I do.”

“We’ll be okay.  There is no one that can hurt you.  We’ve taken every precaution.  I find it very endearing that you are so highly protective of Emma. Even poor Henry has taken up arms to defend his mother from this phantom threat you’ve dreamt about.  She’s pregnant, Regina.  She’s not cursed and neither are we.  She’ll be fine.”

“I am sure that she will, Dear,” Regina replied.

“Come on.  Let’s go back.  We’ll come back tomorrow with others and will do more.  Let’s just go back and check on Emma.  Regina, we’ll be fine.  Let’s go home for now.”

Regina turned and looked at her younger sister.  She knew that she was right.  They should head back into to town.  They could come back and do some tests.  It would also give Regina time to review what they knew and look into the name.  She knew Emma would need her and would be expecting them back.  She would allow Red to turn loose the Wolves tonight in order to protect the family and also to seek out what came forth from the well.  She knew that Ruby could smell it, but she was being quiet about it for both Regina and Emma’s sake.  They would talk about it later, sometime after dinner, and they would plan for the morrow.

 

 

She knelt down behind a row of brush between two trees.  She didn’t know how long she’d been in the well, but it was great to actually see the sky again.  Her lungs were full of non-wet air.  She wasn’t staring at gray stone blocks covered in age, moss, and algae.  She was out of confinement and couldn’t believe it.  She didn’t know how or why she’d broken through the cap on the top of the well, but she was sure that she wasn’t going to get put back.

She watched them pacing around the well and talking.  She was too far away to hear what they were saying, but she noticed who was missing.  She would recognize her mother and her aunt from a distance.  It was the one person that she needed to see that wasn’t there.  She sighed.

She could see the lines around her mother’s eyes and mouth.  She knew that she hadn’t aged.  She wouldn’t.  She was the Dark One.  But, to see that her mother had aged from the last memory of her aggravated her.  She couldn’t let the anger lake over anymore.  She’d embraced the Darkness, but she hadn’t done anything overtly Evil.  She entombed herself in the well to prevent it from happening and now she had a grasp on her powers and her emotions.  She had opened a portal to the Enchanted Forest through the waters, but she knew that the well would always be there.

She surprised herself on how well she had been accepted in the Enchanted Forest.  Her pedigree wasn’t the greatest, but all she had to do was mention being Snow’s granddaughter and all was forgiven.  She hated that fact.  She knew that she couldn’t go around there parading as Regina’s daughter.  They would have immediately come after her.  It had taught her humility and how to control her anger better.

She turned and looked at Ruby.  She didn’t look like she’d aged much, but Coraline could tell that she had.  She walked a little heavier, but she still had that same Wolf movement.  She knew that Ruby wouldn’t remember her and it hurt, but she also knew that it was for the best.  The woman with her mother was the same woman that raised her.  She loved them both and she needed them now.

But, she was troubled.  How could she tell them who she was?  Would they understand?  She knew that she looked different.  She no longer had blond highlights.  She lost those in favor of red ones, but her dark brunette hair hadn’t changed.  She still had the light waves and curls.  Her eyes weren’t dark brown, but a light honey color and she’d been told that they turned gold and green when she did magic.  She figured it was because she was channeling Ruby, but it could have been the transformation into the Dark One.

Again, being Snow’s granddaughter, no one questioned her pale and strange appearance.  Would her own mothers?  She sighed.

She reached to her side when she saw Ruby turn and looked right at her.  Her hand found the hilt of the sword there.  She wasn’t about to draw it, but she wanted to be prepared in case Ruby had heard her moving.  She wasn’t ready to meet them again.  They weren’t ready for her.  She knew that Remy was loved and that would be enough for her.  She would seek out Blue.  She knew that the fairy would help her like she had before.

She stood slowly with her buck to the closest tree.  She let out a quiet sigh.  She had to calm herself down.  She didn’t want to make a scene.  They didn’t need to know who she was yet.  There would be plenty of time for her to tell them truth.  They would be a family again.  She would prove herself worthy and she wasn’t there to usurp Remy’s position.  She didn’t want it.  She just wanted her family and now that was all that mattered.  It had always been the only thing that mattered to Coraline.  Now she had the chance to prove it to them.  She just had to figure out how to introduce herself without Regina fire-balling her ass.

She tilted the sword on its frog, leaving her hand on the hilt, and stepped into the forest.  She knew that it would be a hike to the Fairy’s Grove, but she needed to make good time.  She wasn’t going to use her magic because she knew that Ruby would smell it and Regina would feel it.  She needed time.  They needed time.  The broken well was going to be enough for them to deal with.

She sighed.  She hadn’t destroyed the Dark One’s Curse, but she had destroyed the Darkness itself, the creator of the Dark One.  The light side of her, thanks to being part Charming and the product of True Love, helped her keep the darkness in herself to a minimum.  It was hard, but she managed every day.  It had taken years, but she had done it.  She had done what no one but her own mother had done.  She embraced her magic and fought her way back into the light and for her redemption.  She only hoped that it would help her now.

Hours later just as the sun was setting, she came upon the Fairy Grotto.  The flowers were pungent as always and it made her smile.  Blue would still be in charge and everything would be okay.  She just knew it.  Blue was going to be her only hope...again.  She couldn’t believe the irony of the situation.

The first time she’d fallen through the portal to land in the Fairy Grotto at the Abbey.  Blue immediately knew that she was important and helped her for six months before she entered their society.  She hoped that it wouldn’t take that long this time.  This time she crawled back into the well, through a portal and then out the well.  This would be a new rebirth for her.  Now she would always be Coraline Danielle French, the Dark One.

She could only wonder what they would say when she told them her story.  She wondered if they would actually believe her, or if they would make her use a dream catcher to see her memories.  She would do whatever they asked of her, fairy or family, to prove herself.  She figured she earned that.

She walked up to the heavy oaken door and pounded on it, afraid that if she knocked she wouldn’t be heard.  She waited for the door to open.  She hoped that Blue would be able to give her what she wanted, but she would understand if she couldn’t.  Things were different now and if Ruby did everything that she asked, no one would know the real identity of Danielle Coraline French.

The door opened with a loud creak.  Coraline actually moved back from the sound.  She turned to see a youthful looking Nova at the door.

“Can I help you?” Nova asked hor.

“I need to speak with Blue, if I may,” Coraline told her.

“What business do you have with her?”

“That is between the two of us,” Coraline answered.

“Then you will be waiting for a long time.  She won’t see anyone without reason.  Do you have something that you can her in order for her agree to an audience?” Nova asked.

“Give her this,” Coraline said reaching into the pouch on her side and handing her a silver ring.  “I’m sure that she’ll find this worth her while.  I’ll be here waiting.  Thank you.”

Present day at the Abbey, Storybrooke, Maine

Emma was still staring at Coraline and waiting for an answer.  She didn’t understand why she wouldn’t tell her who put the magic binding bracelet on her.  Who was Coraline protecting?

“Why won’t you tell me?” Emma demanded.

“Because it doesn’t matter at the moment.  They are actually helping me deal with the Darkness inside me.  Just let it go already, Ma.  It won’t help if you get all mad and stay that way.”

Emma just looked at her.  She couldn’t believe her own daughter was using words that Regina and she had used against each other against herself now.  She wanted to scream.  She wants to do something about it, but she can’t. 

“Ma, listen.  I know that you are upset and you have every right to be upset.  But, I think that you need to go to talk to Mom.  You need to let off some energy,” Coraline told her.

“Don’t tell me what to do, Coraline.  I am the parent here.  I am not leaving your side.”

“Then look at your hands.”

Emma looked down.  Her hands were glowing white.  Her magic was showing because she was so emotional.  She looked over at Coraline.  Her daughter was right.  She needed to burn off some energy.  She needed to calm down.  If she didn’t, she was afraid of what she might do if she was tested beyond her limits. 

Emma stood up.  She was pacing.  She looked over at Coraline again.  She could see the pain in her eyes, but she also saw the promise of a better tomorrow.  Emma wasn’t one that took things lightly and she knew that Regina wasn’t either. 

“I’ll be back in a few.  I don’t want you to be alone.  If you need your mother or myself, you get us.  Hear me.  You aren’t doing this on your own,” Emma told her.

“I understand, Ma.”

Emma tore open the door.  She saw Red laying down outside the door.  She looked down at Red and the Wolf looked up at her.

“Go inside.  Stay with her.  If she wants either one of us, come get us,” Emma told her as she held the door open for her.

Red stood up, shook her body and sauntered into the cloister room.  Emma shut the door behind her and then took off down the corridor.  Blue found her as she was working her way back to Coraline’s room.  Their eyes met and held.

Blue didn’t say anything.  She just led Emma down the hallways.  Emma didn’t question her.  She didn’t feel the need.  Blue had been taking care of them all since the battle days ago.  She knew that Blue knew more than she was letting on, but at the moment, Emma couldn’t find the passion to care.  She was more worried about Coraline.

“She’s in here.  Go to her.  I’ll come get you if anything changes,” Blue told her as she ushered Emma into the room.

Regina stopped pacing and looked up.  She met Emma’s viridian eyes.  She could see the sadness and the pain, but she could also see the hope that Emma would never lose.  It was her damn Charming genes.

“Regina…” Emma said quietly walking over to her.

Regina just held her arms out for her.  Emma immediately folded herself into Regina’s waiting embrace and body.  Regina wrapped herself around her, holding her as close as she could, needing the comfort of the other woman as much as she needed her.  Amazed to see Emma this broken, Regina resolved to be stronger for her.

“Emma, I’m here.”

“Why are we letting her do this?”

“We really don’t have a choice,” Regina answered.

“Sure we do,” Emma replied.

“You would sentence some unsuspecting person to the Dark One’s curse?”

Emma pulled back.  She understood why Regina was admonishing her for the thoughts, but that didn’t stop her from having them.  She wanted her family and that included her daughter.

“Would it be so wrong?”

“Emma!”

“What?” Emma asked pulling back.

“You know that we can’t do that.”

“I know,” Emma stated, doing a good job and looking down like a beaten puppy.

“She needs us to be strong through this.”

“Do you know who put the band on her?” Emma asked, completely changing the conversation.

“The what?” Regina questioned in response.

“The damn magic blocking bracelet!”

“I did,” Regina stated.  “Well, I didn’t put it on her personally.  I suggested that they use it.”

“Why would you do that?  You know how it feels to have your magic just be gone.  Why?”

“Because it will help her –“

“Help her how!?!” Emma screamed completely backing away from Regina.

“If you’ll let me finish,” Regina started raising her hands in defense, but then put the down.

She walked over to a wall and leaned against it.  She needed the support of something because her body had been through too much.  She needed a damned break, but this was Storybrooke, breaks weren’t given out regularly.  She looked over at Emma.  She could see the pain on her face.  They needed to be together as one in order to make in through this.

“I spoke with Coraline while you were asleep.  Then I spoke with Blue and Belle.  I know that it seems harmful and well, evil to do that to our daughter, but trust me, it isn’t.  The bracelet has a twofold effect on her.  For one, it is dampening her magic, yes.  It isn’t stopping the magic that we gave her from ourselves, or the magics that the fairies are using on her.  But, most importantly, it has stopped the Dark One’s curse.  It is buying me some more time.”

“More time?  I thought there wasn’t anything that we could do.  Everyone keeps telling me that.  What aren’t you telling me, Regina?” Emma demanded.

“She will still succumb.  I cannot stop that.  No one can.  She will become the Dark One.  The fairies are trying their best to lessen the amount of evil that consumes her.  The more they pull out, the better the chance that she could overcome the curse on her own.”

“You mean Will could kiss her and it would be over?”

“If it were that easy, Rumple would have turned with Belle’s kiss many years ago.”

“But…”

“True Love’s kiss will do a great deal for her, yes, but it will not stop the Dark One’s curse completely.  Coraline has embraced the curse.  She’s welcomed it.  She did the one thing that she knew would ensure that she took on all the Darkness herself.”

“Damn Kiddo.”

“She is a Charming, my dear,” Regina stated.

Emma spun around.  She knew what Regina was implying with that statement.  Charmings were known for their idiotic bravery and their unwavering hope.  Somewhere deep inside, Coraline must have a plan that they didn’t know about.  She didn’t want to hurt anyone if it didn’t work and that had to be the reason that she hadn’t informed them what it was.  She was still going forth with the plan in the hopes that it would work, but she was fully accepting that it might not.  The more she pushed for something the more that Emma wondered just how crazy her daughter really was.  Looking back on the past few days, she knew the answer.  All she had to do was look at herself and what she’d gone through.  Coraline was a product of nature and nurture.  She just couldn’t help herself.  She would always put herself before others and especially her family.

“Is there no way that we can convince her otherwise?” Emma asked.

“Would you be convinced to try something without knowing what the outcome was?”

Emma shook her head.  She didn’t want to be reasonable right now.  She wanted to do something idiotic and drastic.  She wanted to help her daughter.

“What if I took it?” Emma asked.

“Don’t you even… Are you fucking kidding me, right now, Emma?  That isn’t an option.”

“Why not?” Emma countered.

And for the life of her, Regina didn’t have a good enough answer.  She couldn’t think of one beside the normal clichés.  Emma knew that her family loved her and needed her, but she would countered that they needed Coraline, too.  Henry would be lost without her, but she would say that he still had Regina to guide him to being the gentleman that they knew he could be.  Regina wanted to tell her that she could because Regina loved her.  She knew that Emma would counter that Regina could break the curse with a kiss, then.  It sounded reasonable, but it wasn’t.  Emma gave into the Darkness and tried to die.

“You would give in and die,” Regina said quietly, hoping that it affect her.

“I wouldn’t give in this time,” Emma countered.

“Then, I wouldn’t be able to save you because you wouldn’t be you anymore.”

Emma could see the tears in Regina’s eyes.  She hadn’t meant to hurt her, but she needed something.  She was a goddamned Charming and she was losing hope.  They didn’t even have Rumple to go to make some godforsaken deal with to save her.  Coraline was the Dark One.

“We can’t save her, can we?” Emma asked, hoping against hope that she was wrong.

“No, we really can’t.”

“FUCK!!!” Emma exclaimed and threw her hands up in the air in defeat.

Regina pushed off the wall.  Emma was pacing like a caged tiger.  Regina knew how she felt.  If it hadn’t been years of programming and conditioning, she would be doing the same thing.  The energy that her body was producing because her mind wanted her to find a way to stop this, cure it, or just do something had Regina’s insides coiled up like a wound spring waiting to pop.

She walked over to Emma.  She didn’t stop.  Regina reached out and placed a hand on Emma’s arm.  She didn’t stop.  Regina gripped her tighter and she paced with her.  Emma finally stopped.  She turned and looked down into Regina’s mahogany eyes. 

“I love you.”

“I love you, too, Dear.”

“I know I am not really losing her, ‘Gina, but it feels like we are,” Emma said and sobbed.

“I know, Dear,” Regina told her as she gathered her back into her arms. 

The blonde dropped her head to Regina’s shoulder.  Regina took her weight graciously as Emma’s body gave into the anguish she was feeling.  She let out a heartbreaking sob and Regina held her tighter.  They sank to the floor on their knees.  Regina waved her hand and covered mattress appeared for them to lie on.  She knew that Emma needed to rest. 

“Shh, Dear, I’ve got you.  I am not going to let you go.  You’re not a failure.  You’re beautiful.  You have a wonderful family that loves you,” Regina started and then grabbed Emma’s hand.  She placed it on her stomach.  She felt the heat from Emma’s hand.  “You helped create the life that is growing inside me, Emma.  Never forget how precious you are to me.”

Emma blinked away the tears and smiled at her.  Regina knew it wasn’t everything that Emma needed to hear but it was a start.  She knew that her old feelings would surface and they were plaguing Emma just as much as the thought of losing Coraline was.

“We made that,” Emma told her, smiling a little more.

“We did.”

“I love you, Regina.”

“I love you, too, Emma.”

“I am in love with the Evil Queen,” Emma teased.

“I am in love with daughter of my worst enemy, the Saviour, Emma, daughter of Snow White and David Charming, Princess of the Winterlands and Summerlands, Crown Princess of the Enchanted Forest, mother of my son, sheriff of my town, Storybrooke, and breaker of my curse.”

“Marry me.”


	54. Chapter 54

Regina pulled away from her.  She wanted to look into Emma’s fiery green eyes.  She was shaking herself.  She couldn’t believe that Emma would just blurt out a question like that with no pretense.  She wasn’t scared of the question.  She loved Emma.  She just wondered what prompted her to ask.  Was she afraid?  Or, did she really mean it?  It was a quickly fought war of ideas in her mind. 

Emma looked into her darkening eyes.  She could see the questions swirling.  She mentally slapped herself.  She’d picked the wrong time.  She should have waited.  She was always doing stuff like that with Regina.  She hadn’t completely thought it through before she acted.

Regina’s eyes were swimming and she wasn’t happy about it.  She should be ecstatic that Emma had proposed, but she wasn’t.  She wondered if it was because of everything that was going on or if was something truly Emma-esque and she’d gone with her gut.

“Wh-what?” Regina asked, not even trying to hide how taken aback she was.

Emma decided that she couldn’t back down now.  The question was out there and she wanted an answer.  She would have to stand her ground or retract it, which she wasn’t going to do.  In true, stubborn Charming fashion, Emma mentally dug her heels in and prepared for the fight that was about to ensue and the fight of her life as she once again would have to prove her love to Regina.

“Will you marry me?” she asked again.

Regina really didn’t know what to say.  She moved to sit up on the mattress.  She looked around the room.  She looked at everything but Emma.  She could feel the blonde’s uneasiness at her non-answer, but she couldn’t think about marrying Emma at time like this.  She had to worry about Coraline. 

“Emma, we need to be serious right now,” Regina finally stated breaking her silence.

Emma rolled over on the mattress and sat up.  She felt her feet hit the hardwood floor and her heart sank.  Regina was not in the same place that she was right now.  She knew that it was an odd time to bring up such an idea, but she had a plan and she hoped that Regina would get on board with it.  Now, she wasn’t so sure.  She might have to go talk to her father for some pointers on how to woo the Queen into a marriage with her.  She knew that happened due to Coraline’s memories and such, but she was beginning to question if would actually happen now.

Regina stood up.  She began pacing.  She noticed that shortly after she had, Emma joined her.  For her part, Emma didn’t leave the room.  She actually moved closer to Regina and Regina wondered what she was thinking.  She knew that Emma wasn’t going to let her leave until they discussed the situation, but she wanted to deal with the issues of Coraline.

“Regina…”

“No, Emma, we need to deal with Coraline right now.  I don’t know what you are thinking about, but our daughter is down the hall and she is in trouble.  I am sorry that I don’t want to be selfish right now and think about us. I am scared for her,” Regina stated.

“I am, too.”

“Then, why aren’t you acting like it anymore?” Regina countered.

Emma took a step back.  Her eyes burned in pain.  Regina’s words had hit her like a physical blow.  She began to wonder if Regina was right.  She couldn’t forget what Coraline was going through, but everyone kept telling her to move on passed it.  They needed to think about Remy and their lives after Coraline was gone.  She was angry, scared, and beside herself with grief for her adult daughter from the future, but she knew that they couldn’t stop living.

“Look, Regina, we need to be planning for our future.  I know that Coraline is dying slowly and becoming the Dark One.  Am I angry about that?  Yes, I’m livid, but that isn’t going to stop it from happening.  You’ve said so yourself.  We can’t stop it without taking it on ourselves.  You’ve told me that I have to deal with this.  Coraline told me the same thing.  I am trying, but I know that we will have to do this together,” Emma told her.

“I am not saying that we shouldn’t, but I don’t think this is time that we should be thinking about getting married.  I want to marry you, Emma.  I do.  I don’t need some big extravagant affair that I am sure your mother would love to throw.  Something small and intimate would be fine.”

“I agree with you on that,” Emma stated.

“Then, don’t push it, right now.”

“Marry me.”

“Emma…”

“Marry me.”

“Emma…”

She leaned into Regina.  She kissed her hard.  She was trying to make her understand how much she loved Regina.  She was trying to get passed the pain of losing her daughter by trying to associate it with something happy.  She wanted to share the wedding somehow with Coraline, because she knew that Coraline would like to have seen it.

Regina melted into her.  The warmth and comfort that Emma offered was a complete difference to both of their anguish and pain at the moment.  It was something that was easy to get lost in, but Regina didn’t want to get lost in it.  She needed the pain at that time to help her stay focused on what was going to happen.  She needed the focus so she would be able to be strong enough to watch her daughter essentially die and become the Dark One fully.  She knew that she would have to fight Ruby, but she would be there as they lowered her into the well.  She would watch it, so she would know that they had made the right decision.

Absently, her hand ran across her stomach and she cradled the still forming life there.  She stared up into Emma’s impossibly-deep and loving sea-green eyes.  She didn’t know what to feel.  She wanted to be angry.  She wanted to be devastated, but she knew that Emma was partially right.  They needed to find a way to look past this and move on.  She knew that.  She knew it wouldn’t be easy.  Burying a child never was.  She also knew that she would be able to give Coraline the life that she had been dreaming of with the birth of the daughter growing inside her.  Coraline was giving them both a second chance.  Regina was determined that she was going to fuck this up.  She couldn’t.  Her daughter had risked too much for her to let it go to waste.

“We can’t fuck up this chance,” Regina said.

“I know,” Emma replied, secretly smiling at Regina’s undignified words.

“I’m serious, Emma.  She became the Dark One to save us.  We can’t let that be in vain.”

“I am not going to let it be.  We will tell Remy all about how Coraline saved us.  We will make it a story, a legend.  It will be a way to memorialize her without telling Remy outright that she is the reason that she will get to have her happy ending,” Emma stated.

“She is our happy ending,” Regina mused.

“She is the embodiment of our happy ending, Regina.  She is us and we are her.  We are still fighting to save our family and just live peacefully.  She is giving us that chance.  I am not going to fuck it up.  I am going to make sure that she gets the childhood she wants.  I am going to be there for you.  I am going to watch Henry grow up, get married and have kids of his own.  And, as much as we hate it, Wilhelmina and Remy might be together.  But, through it all, we will be together.  We will test each other.  We will aggravate each other, but most of all, we will love each other,” Emma told her, pulling her closer again.

Regina was crying.  She hated it when Emma made her feel things so deeply and show it.  Emma found ways to break through years of her mother’s teaching and years of her carefully constructed persona.  She smiled as the tears rolled down her cheeks and melted further into her.

“Marry me, Regina.”

“You aren’t asking me anymore?” she asked.

“No, I am not.  I am not going to force you to marry me.  I love you.  You love me.  That should be enough for us and it is.  I want to climb to the top of the clock tower and shout how much I love you to the entire town, as much as I know that you would hate that.  Just marry me.”

“Emma…”

Emma kissed her.  She didn’t want Regina trying to rationalize at that moment.  They had been thinking too much as it was.  They needed something to just let go and be normal people for once.  It was something that they could do in order to honor their love, their family and still be normal.  They wouldn’t be the Evil Queen and the Saviour.  They would just be Regina and Emma, something that they wanted, and they could share it with their daughter.

“No, Regina.  Don’t.  Let’s do this.  We can have something extravagant later.  Let’s just get married for Coraline.  That way she knows that we are together before we lose her.  Don’t do this for me.  Do this for her,” Emma told her.

“That is very underhanded even for you, Emma.”

“Can’t blame me for trying, can you?” Emma asked her.

“Emma…”

“Look, I’ll give the whole wine and dine, later.  Marry me.  Let’s give Coraline something.”

Regina huffed.  Emma kissed her.  She knew that Regina was actually going to acquiesce to her demand soon.  She would give her the big romantic gesture later and Regina knew that.  She also knew that this would mean something to Coraline.  She was giving their daughter a way to be in their wedding and see it at the same time.  How many people can say that?  It would give her a good memory and it would be something that they could all treasure forever.  It would be a small family affair.  That is all she ever wanted.

“Your mother is going to kill me for this,” Regina mused.

“I’ll talk to Blue.  I promise that no one is going to kill you.  I won’t let them,” Emma replied with a knowing smile.

“I love you,” Regina stated, shaking her head and kissing her.

“I love you, too,” Emma said as she tried to get off the mattress.

“Where are you going?” Regina asked her, pulling her back.

“To talk to Blue,” Emma replied.

“Not yet,” Regina told her as she pushed her down on the mattress and mounted her hips.

 

She was combing her tresses out in front of mirror.  The water was dripping down her back and causing the linen shirt to stick to her skin.  She was grateful for the shower but she didn’t know how long Blue was going to make her wait before she would see her.  Time was something that she had an abundance of now, but that didn’t mean that she had learned patience.  She hadn’t.

“Why did you come here first?”

“Blue, nice to see you again,” Coraline told her.

“Where did you get that ring?” Blue asked her.

“You gave it to Emma, who gave it to Mom, who gave it to Belle when we the Darkness attacked our castle years ago.  Well, I guess that won’t happen now, but that is how I came to possess it.  What does it matter to you, now, how I came to own it?  Did you feel its power?”

“I did.  I also saw somethings that I wasn’t prepared for.  The visions that the ring gave me, are they true?” Blue questioned.

“Define truth.  Are they true for you?  Partially.  Are they true for me?  Absolutely.  But, for others, it is nothing.  I have many questions to ask, but I am not sure that it matters now.”

“I am sure that you do, Coraline.  I am to call you Coraline, am I not?  Why have you come here, now?  What do you hope to accomplish?” Blue inquired.

“I am not trying to accomplish anything.  I have been realm hopping for years, while you have been living here in the Enchanted Forest with no worries of the Dark One.  That didn’t seem strange to you?  You couldn’t explain why he wasn’t here, so you just ignored that fact?”

“No, I didn’t.  I kept searching, because I knew that Evil wouldn’t just disappear.  You took our memories of your life and death and made your story no more than a legend.  What was I supposed to do with that?  The legend ends with you dying and your body returning here.  I have had the fairies searching for any trace of your actual existence.  You are a hero to the people, but you are nothing more than a story.  Henry couldn’t even believe when he had no proof of your existence.  So, I ask again, what do you hope to accomplish here?”

Coraline hadn’t thought about that. She had been moving from realm to realm for years.  She didn’t know what she wanted.  She was the Dark One, but she didn’t crave power.  She didn’t crave money.  She just wanted her family.  That was her crux, her selfishness for her family. 

“I am not like other Dark Ones.  I don’t care for power and wealth.  I just want to make sure that my family survives and lives long and healthy lives.  I have spent my time realm hopping in order to learn to deal with my darkness.  Have I done things that I am not proud of?  Yes.  Have there been times that I have done something you would consider evil?  Yes.  Am I villain?  That remains to be seen.  I cannot answer that.  But, I can tell you that I have done everything to get back to them and prove that I’m not as bad as all the other Dark Ones,” Coraline replied.

“How can I be sure what you say is true?”

“I don’t know.  I could give you something, but I don’t think that you are ready for it.  I guess you will just have to trust me,” Coraline replied.

“You can understand why that is hard for me, I am sure.”

“Yes, but I’ll give you something that will help you do that.  Well, make that two things.  Here,” Coraline stated reaching back into her pouch.

She handed Blue a wand and stood back.  She watched as the fairy’s eyes widen in recognition.  She just smiled at Blue. Once she seemed to be willing to listen more to what Coraline had to say, Coraline handed her something else.  It was a dark leather studded vambrace.  Blue took the item and regarded it.  When she looked back at Coraline, she could see the mirth in her eyes.

“How did you get that?”

“The joys of being the Dark One.”

“Meaning?”

“You inherit everything from the former Dark Ones.”

“You get everything that they had?” Blue asked.

“Yes, but it is up to you as the Dark One to keep it all.  I didn’t care for all of it.  I kept some of the magic items, but I gave most of the wealth away.  Rumple’s castle was where I spent most of my childhood, so I kept it as well.  But, it is on the outskirts of the Enchanted Forest, so I am not threat.  I wouldn’t threaten the kingdoms anyway.  I would be supporting them.”

Blue watched as she began to pace.  Coraline wasn’t used to having to explain herself.  She was used to announcing herself as a knight and daughter of the Savior or the Evil Queen, depending on the realm, and getting the cooperation she sought.  She knew that Blue would different and she knew that she’d be wary.  She knew that Blue would challenge her.  She expected it.  She just didn’t think that it would be this hard after she saw the memories in the ring.

“So what does this vambrace do?” Blue asked her.

“Do you remember the bracelets that Rumple made?”

“Yes…it is like that, but not quite at strong.  It will dampen my magic, but I will still have access.  I had them made so I could learn to live without it.  It helped me fight the Darkness inside.  However, my survival instinct will take over if I am threatened.”

“What does that mean?”

“If I am threatened, I will transport away from the threat.  I haven’t directly engaged anything since I had them made.  There were things that I needed to face in order to get better at fighting the Darkness,” Coraline answered.

“Where did you get them made?” Blue questioned.

“That doesn’t really matter right now.  I need to know some things.  I came to you to get those answers.  Can you help me or not?”

“I’ve helped you before, Coraline.  You are still the daughter of Emma, even if you aren’t the daughter I know.  I am still the family fairy.  There is always Tink, if you would prefer.”

“No, you’ve always been straight with me, Blue.  I prefer to speak with you, but the problem is that I need conformation that my family is safe and cared for.  Can you give me that?”

“You want to see them?” Blue inquired.

“Of course, I do.”

“I can send a raven to Regina if you wish,” Blue stated.

“You would do that?”

“That is your wish, is it not?”

“It is.”

Blue smiled at her.  She knew that Coraline was more like Regina than she wanted to admit, but her need to be near her family was from both of her mothers.  She knew what it would mean for them all to be together again, but she also feared the ramifications of letting her meet them without creating some sort of plausible backstory for her.

“So, how would I introduce you to them?”

“I don’t know.  I’m immortal and the Dark One.  I am also their daughter.  I am the True Love of Wilhelmina, daughter of Pyroxes, last of the Vulcannonians.  Pick something and I’ll go with it.”

“I don’t think that any of those will work.  But, I could work with the Vulcannonian angle.  How much armor do you have?”

“Enough,” Coraline replied.

“Do you still have the Resurrection Cloak?”

“Yes.”

“Go.  Sleep.  I’ll have Nova take you to a room.  It isn’t much, but I am sure that it is better than the well.  I’ll send a raven to Regina.  I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve heard from them.  Get some sleep.  Rest or whatever you do.  I’ll come get you as soon I know.  Now, go.”

Coraline stood up, nodding.  She turned to the doorway to the room that she was in with Blue.  She could see Nova at the door, already waiting for her.  Coraline followed her down the corridor and to a room.  She made herself comfortable and decided that she could actually rest for the first time in years.  Now, she was so close to seeing her family that she was willing to do anything to see them.  She would lie about who she was if she had to, but she knew that Blue would pave the way for her to be with her family.  Blue would answer her wish, again.

 

Belle left the room where Snow and Charming were waiting with the now very obviously ailing, young Prince Neal.  She needed to check on Red.  She didn’t want her to be alone for too long.  She knew that Coraline had given her some sort of strange mission to complete before the end was clear, but Belle didn’t know what it was. 

She entered Coraline’s room and sat down.  Red looked up when she noticed her sitting in a chair near her.  She could always sense when Belle was near.  She leaned away from the bed and more towards her.

Coraline must have sensed her as well.  She woke up and looked at the brunette in the chair.  She smiled.

“Evening, Belle.”

“Evening, Coraline.  How are you feeling?  Are you comfortable?”

“As much as I can be.”

“The bracelet doesn’t it make it hurt too much does it?” Belle asked honestly horrified that Regina had actually agreed to put the bracelet on her.

“It doesn’t hurt.  I know that you weren’t actually on board with this, this time, Belle.  Trust me when I say that it will help slow down the process.  It is buying us enough time for things to happen as I need them to.  You have nothing to blame yourself about.  You have always done everything that you can to protect me.  That won’t change in the future,” Coraline told her with a small smile. 

Belle smiled back.  The knowledge didn’t make it any less painful, but it did help her deal with her guilt.  She knew that if she could help Coraline in any way she would.  She had just been surprised by Regina’s request.  She understood Emma’s anger.  She even agreed with it on some levels, but she had to hope that Regina and Coraline had some crazy plan to deal with it all.

“Red,” Coraline stated, breaking her thoughts.

Red picked her head up.  She placed it beside Coraline’s hand on the cot.  Brown and green swirling eyes met those of Red’s Wolf-yellow.

“Take her away from here.  Be together.  Support each other.  The fairies will be in soon to do another ‘treatment.’  I’m safe.  I’m not going anywhere.  Go for now.  You need some time together,” Coraline told her.

She could see the hesitation in Red’s eyes.  Red nosed her hand with her muzzle.  Coraline pet her, smiling.  And, the she pointed to the door.  Red watched as Tink, Nova, and two other fairies came in.  She looked at them and then at Coraline.

“I’ll be fine,” Coraline assured her.

“We’ll stay with her for now, Red.  Go on and get some rest.  We’ve got her,” Tink told her.

Red wasn’t sure if she should go.  She didn’t want to abandon Coraline, but she knew that she wasn’t technically doing that.  She let out a breath and then leaned back onto Belle.

Belle understood the gesture and stood up.  Red did the same.  They both walked to the door before Belle turned around and looked back at the reclined form of her pseudo-sister, friend, and hopefully, never her ward.

“Go.”

Belle looked straight at Tink before stating, “Call us if anything changes.”

“I will.”

Belle reached down and petted Red on the head.  Red looked up at her brilliant sapphire eyes.  She could see the questions, but wondered if she could actually answer them.

“Come on, Red.  I’ll take you home.  You need to rest, too,” Belle told her.

Red nuzzled her hand in response.  They slowly padded out of the room.  Red turned around looked back at her young niece.  Her heart broke for her family, but she had things that she needed to do away from the Abbey.  But, first she would nap, with Belle if she would stay.

They arrived at Granny’s a short time later.  Belle led her up to the apartment that she had on the top floor of the B and B.  They both knew that Granny was home and in her apartment in the front of the inn.  They’d waved at Ashley as they passed through the diner to get to the B and B.

Red sauntered over to her wardrobe and fazed.  When she turned around, Belle was behind her.  She could see the emotions in her eyes.  Belle was close to her, close enough that body heat was merging with Ruby’s. 

“Belle…”

“Shut up, Red.”

“Wha—“

Belle was kissing her before she could finish her thoughts.  There was so much that Belle wanted to tell her, but she knew that now wasn’t the time.  Ruby needed love and she needed to know that she was supported. 

Belle couldn’t have been happier.  Ruby was melting into her.  For once, Belle was the one seeking and Ruby was her prey.  She guided Ruby’s naked form back onto the bed.  Ruby just looked up at her with her swirling yellow and blue-hazel eyes.  Belle was beautiful and she was willing to be with Ruby, still something that baffled Ruby.

The kiss was deepened and Ruby closed her eyes.  She knew that Ruby needed something that she was afraid to ask for and something that she was afraid to take.  Belle would give it to her anyway and she would do it her way.  She wasn’t going to wait for Ruby to make a move.

She was glad that she hadn’t given Ruby time to dress.  It gave her full reign of her body.  Belle moved from Ruby’s mouth to her neck.  She kissed her throat before she bit down.  She could feel the growl building.  She knew that Ruby wasn’t used to Belle being so aggressive, but she knew that Ruby needed to let go.  She needed an outlet and Belle was going to give it to her.

When Ruby tried to buck Belle off her and flip them over, Belle held her down and bit down harder.  She ran her nails down Ruby’s skin, marking her further.  Ruby finally understood that Belle was going to be in charge of this encounter.  She moved her head up and locked her yellow eyes with Belle’s burning sapphire eyes.  Belle had released her neck in favor of her mouth.

Belle just wanted to kiss her senseless but she knew that wasn’t what Ruby needed.  Her hands dug into Ruby’s flesh.  She heard her growl.  Belle kept grabbing at her, kneading her muscles and branding her skin with her warmth.  She leaned down and started laving her breasts.

“Belle…”

Belle popped up on her.  Her hand skimmed down Ruby’s front until she found Ruby’s center.  Their eyes met and held just as Belle sank her fingers inside, hard, to her knuckles.  Ruby let out a strangle cry as her body accepted every bit of Belle.  She couldn’t believe how good she felt.

“Belle!”

 Belle didn’t stop.  She continued her movements, loving the sound and the feeling as she pounding her.  It was the look that Belle gave her when their eyes met again that finally sent Ruby over the edge.  Belle still didn’t stop want to prolong it as much as she could.

Ruby, finally completely spent, reached down and pulled Belle’s hand away.  She searched the auburn-headed woman’s eyes.  There was nothing but love there, but Ruby was still feeling the afterglow of the mind-numbing orgasm that Belle had given her.  She wasn’t sure that she was seeing things clearly in that moment.

“Not that I am complaining, Belle, but what was that?” Ruby asked her.

“You needed the release.  Ruby, you’ve been coiled tighter than a snake about to strike.  I didn’t know what else to do.  You won’t tell me what Coraline said to you and I understand that, but I needed to do something.  Besides, you’re beautiful and you are extremely sexy when naked.”

Ruby just smiled.  Belle wasn’t the timid woman that everyone thought that she was.  No, she was hellfire just Regina.  She wondered if it was a princess thing.  She could see the same fire in Snow and Emma.  She wasn’t sure what Belle really wanted from her but she was willing to give her anything.  Belle had chosen her in the end and not Rumple.  She knew they loved each other, but she wondered if she would ever be enough for the librarian. 

“I love you,” Ruby replied.

“I love you, too,” Belle stated smiling back.

Belle grabbed Ruby’s hips and pulled herself down her body.  Ruby would have stopped her if she had half a mind to do it, but she couldn’t.  The look in Belle’s eyes stopped her quickly.  The fire that she’d seen earlier was brighter and fiercer.  There was no denying the want in her eyes.  There was no denying Belle anything for Ruby.  If she wanted it, she could have it.  If Red could get it for her, she would. 

Belle made her spread her legs.  Ruby just grabbed all the pillows and put them behind her head and shoulders as she looked down at her lover.  Their eyes met and held.  Belle sat back on her haunches and slowly removed her blouse.  Her eyes never left Ruby’s body.  There was a connection between them that she didn’t want to break. 

“Belle…”

“Hush, Red and enjoy,” Belle told as she took of her bra next.

With her naked torso, Belle leaned down and started raining kisses against Ruby’s torso.  Ruby whimpered at the fleeting kisses.  She was keenly aware that she wanted and needed more of Belle and quickly.  She wasn’t sure what it was about her, but Ruby couldn’t get enough.  Belle scooted further down the bed and laid her head against Ruby’s thigh.  Ruby could smell herself, but there was something more.  She realized that it was Belle’s arousal.

She started to move.  She wanted to give Belle love, too.  But, every time that she moved to change their positions, Belle bit the inside of her thigh in warning.  The immediate pain only served to stop her movements for a brief moment.  The shock of Belle’s bite only made her more aroused.  She smiled down at the woman when she realized that her warning was not having the effect she wanted.  Ruby reached down to touch her, but before she could, Belle moved her head.

Ruby yelped as Belle’s lips surrounded her and sucked hard.  She fell back onto the mound of pillows and tried to control her wanton moans.  She was failing wonderfully and she could have sworn that she could Belle smiling at her failure.  Belle’s tongue licked through her folds and all Ruby could do was grab the sheets.  The flicks of her tongue weren’t tentative.  They were sure and true.  It was like Belle was trying to burn her love into Ruby. 

“Belle…”

She didn’t stop.  She only licked her harder.  She circled her opening a few times before plunging her.  Ruby bucked, but Belle like others, was deceptively strong.  She held onto Ruby’s hips and kept her where she wanted her.  She flattened out her tongue and ran it the length of Ruby’s womanhood.  Slow and steady strokes continued and Ruby’s voice got deeper and higher alternatively with each stroke. 

Then the most wonderful thing happened to Ruby’s ears, Belle moaned into her.  She could feel the vibrations run up her body but solely centered on her clit.  She shuttered in pleasure.  She wasn’t sure what she could do to repay Belle for this, but she would gladly do it.  She’d never been taken so forcefully and thoroughly. 

“Belle…”

She sucked and nipped.  She licked and tasted.  She memorized every inch, every sound, and every squirm as she learned how to pleasure Red beyond her wildest imagination.

“Belle…please, love…”

“What do you need?” Belle asked, backing up just enough to ask the question.

Her eyes were burning into Ruby’s.  Ruby couldn’t tear her eyes away from her.  She couldn’t answer her.  Belle had stolen her breath, her voice, her ability to think beyond the pleasure.

“What.” Lick. “Do.” Kiss. “You.” Suck. “Need?” Nip.

Ruby groaned as her body searched for the permission for oblivion.  She tangled her fingers deeper into her sheets as she tried with every ounce of her being to answer the beautiful woman between her legs. 

“You!!!!!” Ruby screamed from the bottom of her soul as Belle returned to ministrations.

Belle dove back in with a fervor.  She kissed longer, nipped harder, and drove her tongue in deeper.  It only took two more strokes and Ruby’s hip flailed from the bed.  A moan tore through her throat and her hands found their way to Belle’s head, holding her at her center as she came again and again from the sheer power of Belle’s tongue.

When it was too much again, she buried her hands further in Belle’s hair.  She didn’t want to hurt the smaller woman, but she if she didn’t Belle to stop, then she thought she’d die.  But, Belle didn’t stop, not immediately, and she came again.  Her lungs emptied what breath they had as she screamed out again with her orgasm.  Spent and completely sated, Ruby’s hips fell to the bed and she passed out.

“Sleep well, Red,” Belle told her.

Belle got off of the bed and redressed in her bra and blouse.  She walked into Ruby’s bathroom and washed her face.  She stared into the mirror over the sink and smiled at herself.  She hadn’t thought that she could actually love Ruby into completely submission, but she had. 

It might not have been the right time for it, but she knew that Ruby needed it.  She needed it to.  She needed to prove to herself that she was capable of loving the Wolf even in the hardest of circumstances.  She needed to know that she could pleasure her beyond words. 

She pulled out her cell phone and looked down at the screen.  There were two texts.  One was from Regina and the other from Snow.  She read them quickly.  They were needed back at the Abbey, but for a few precious moments she would let Ruby rest.

She didn’t know what Coraline had asked of her, but she knew enough that it was weighing heavily on Ruby’s heart.  If she could give her just a moment’s peace, then she would.

Coraline had asked her to help research the magic of the Dark One.  She had.  She’d given Coraline everything that she could, told her everything that she knew and helped her work out what could possibly happen now that the Dark One wasn’t tethered to the dagger.  Belle could tell that time was running out, but she didn’t know why.  She knew that Ruby would tell her in the future, when the pain of right now wasn’t so great, but she’d hoped that Ruby would tell her sooner.  She knew that she could help them if they would only ask, but she knew that they were afraid to ask her.  She had always been the quiet, shy princess that was in Rumple’s shadow.  They didn’t see her for what she was and it was time that they did.

Belle smiled into the mirror as the touched the glass.  It shimmered and rippled.  Belle smiled deeper as she leaned forward, still touching the mirror glass, and commanded it, “Show me Coraline.”  The mirror rippled and Coraline came into view.  She knew that it was here and now, but she also knew what Coraline had told her only hours before when they had been alone.  She could only wonder why Coraline did it, but that would be a puzzle that only time would unravel for her.  Belle just hoped that she could be what Remy needed if they hadn’t succeeded…

_“You love her?” Coraline asked her._

_“Yes.”_

_“You love them all?”_

_“Yes, Coraline, I do.  They have been more a family to me than my own.  I would do anything for them.  I have forgiven Regina.  We are friends.  I love Ruby.  I will stand with Emma, if she ever asks.  And, according to your story, I become one of your adoptive mothers.  I take you in and raise you as my own, Coraline.  I love both like a daughter and a sister,” Belle told her._

_“Then, I want to give you a gift.  It will be small, but I know that you will be able to use it wisely.  You might need it one day,” Coraline said like she knew something that Belle didn’t._

_“What is it?”_

_“Give me your hand,” Coraline demanded._

_Belle reached out to her.  She could feel the coldness that had been creeping in to Coraline as she took Belle’s hand in her own.  There was a sudden warmth and an electric current running through her arm.  She didn’t know what it meant, but she wasn’t going to pull back from her._

_“I love you, Belle.  I always will.  You were the one that gave me the discipline and the knowledge that I needed to survive.  You will always be like a sister to me.  No matter what happens to me, Belle.  I will be Coraline French thanks to you.  I owe you so much.”_

_“What are you doing?” Belle asked her confused._

_“I am giving you something that no one will expect from you.”_

_“What?”_

_“Some magic…”_


	55. Chapter 55

She stood on the edge of the field and looked down at the kingdom below her.  She had been in these hills before, but never before had she seen such beauty.  She fell lost, but in a good way.  She was enjoying the slight breeze.  She could remember days like this when she was little, but nothing like this as she got older.  These were her homelands.  This was her legacy and something that she could never have.  This was Remy’s.  She gave up the rights to anything when she took on the darkness herself and became the Dark One.  She would never deny that fact.  She would never want anything else.  She had done everything to protect Remy, herself.

“Beautiful land, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“I thought you wanted to go home.”

“I do, but I just wanted to look at it for a while.”

Blue regarded her.  From the memories she’d regained, Coraline was different.  She was more reserved.  She played things closer to her chest and she didn’t show emotion as well.  She was guarded and she had every reason to be that way.  She had a rough a bringing losing both of her parents and her entire family in one day.  She was raise by a family friend and taught to deny her true potential and her true identity.  She became something else.  She became a warrior and a defender, something she’d been destined for anyway, but it was different.  She was the Survivor of legend and long forgotten prophecies.  She’d fought off the Black Queen and survived sixty days of straight torture before enacting a spell that no one had ever tried.  She’d opened a portal to the past and she planned on changing her fate.  And, in the end, she had.  She had changed so much and she’d become the Dark One in order to give her young self a better life and a better chance at happiness.

“You want to see your young self, don’t you?”

“No, it would only confuse her.  She doesn’t need to know that we are the same person.  I am not from this time line, this realm.  I am from nowhere and I don’t claim to be, either.  I have only used the tattooed crest on my arm in warning and to be left alone.  Being the daughter of the Evil Queen and the Saviour has its benefits.  I used that to my advantage.  Evil, maybe, but I was trying to survive and not give in completely to the darkness that is now my curse,” Coraline replied, shifting uneasily.

“You are going to have to explain that better to me one day.  It isn’t every day that someone of your magnitude finds peace with the darkness and tames the powers of the Dark One.  But today, we are going to see your family.  What name shall I give you?”

“I am Coraline Danielle French.  What other name would you have me give?  I cannot be something I am not,” Coraline told her.

“I cannot introduce you as a French.  It would arouse too many suspicions.  I can introduce as Coraline or even Danielle, but not as a French,” Blue explained.

“Then don’t.”

Blue watched her as she walked around the top of the hill until she found the roan horse that had been eating grass while Coraline overlooked the castle below.  She quickly and deftly mounted the horse for the side.  It reminded her of the warriors from a far.  As Coraline found her seat on the mount.  Blue saw her regal blood begin to show.  She sat on that horse like she was commanding legions to fight for her.  Instead, she was going to meet her mothers.

“I will say that you are a Vulcannonian.”

“Why?” Coraline asked, immediately turning to face the head fairy.

“I have to give them something.  I can’t just tell Regina that you are her daughter.  I also can’t just say that you are the Dark One.  Do you have any idea what that will do?”

“They’ll think that you are in league with me to usurp her,” Coraline stated.

“Exactly.”

“We wouldn’t want that, now would we?” Coraline asked sarcastically.

“That’s your reply.  Seriously?  Coraline, grow up.  This isn’t a game,” Blue admonished her.

“I know that better than anyone.  Trust me.  This is bliss compared to the Seven Hells and other places that I have been to,” Coraline waved her hand dismissively as she spoke.  “Do what you have to do as long as I get to see them and I know that they are happy.  I will be fine.”

Coraline didn’t wait for her to respond.  She moved away from Blue on her horse to the overlook.  She still didn’t make a move to go down to the castle.  She just sat on her horse and stared clown.  Blue could hear the wishes that she was making.  She was doing her best, but she wasn’t sure that it was going to be enough for Coraline.  She definitely had Regina’s passion, but she had Emma drive and tact.   It was a strange combination, but it worked for her and her personality.

Coraline rode up to the edge and stopped.  She closed her eyes as the breeze blew through her hair.  She turned her nose up in the air slightly and smiled.  She smelled home.  No matter where she was or where her parents would be, the White Castle would be her home.  It was the first place she knew and it was the place she lost everything too.  It was bittersweet.

“We’ll figure something out, Coraline.”

“I don’t know what to say to them,” she mused.

“You’ll know what to say once we are alone, Little One.”

Coraline just nodded.  She looked down the hill again.  The breeze blew again and she fell energized enough to talk to her estranged family.  She sighed and turned to face Blue.

“They know we’re coming, right?” Coraline asked her.

“They do, why?”

“Red is outside staring up at us.”

“She is?  Can you see anyone else with her?” Blue asked as she mounted and rode closer to her.

“Yes, a small girl…” Coraline replied as her voice broke in the end.

“That is probably you,” Blue told her with a smile.

Coraline whipped her head around and looked back down at the girl.  She was young, maybe a little older than a toddler, but at least four winters old.  Her blond hair was bellowing in the slight breeze of the afternoon.  Suddenly, she saw Red turn up and stare at her again.  She knew that their eyes met.  She wondered if Red could smell her from that far.  She smiled at the Wolf.

She reached into her pouch and pulled out a small pill bottle.  Blue looked at it and recognized it as one of her own, something that had gone missing in Storybrooke.  Coraline quickly took one of the pills and put the bottle back into her pouch.

“What was that?” Blue asked her, wondering what the pills were for and where she’d gotten them.

“Just a concoction that an old friend of mine made to help me stay hidden in plain sight.”

“I gave you that, didn’t I?”

“You did,” Coraline told.

“Can I ask why?”

“You can.”

“Will you tell me?” Blue asked.

“It was a way to mask my smell to Red.  She made me before I knew what to do.  She told Emma that I smelled like Henry.  I freaked out and used magic.  I ran to you for help and you made me those to help cover my scent.  Red can’t smell and identify me as Swan-Mills.”

“So, you took one.”

“Yes, don’t want them to know too soon.”

“Ready to go down there?” Blue questioned her.

“As I am every going to be,” Coraline told her.

They headed over the hill and down towards the castle below.  She let out a sigh as the made their way.  Blue smiled at her, hoping that she would calm down before they got inside.  She didn’t know what she would do if Coraline couldn’t be calm as they met with Regina and Emma.

She still couldn’t believe that she had chosen to ride in wearing what she was wearing, but Blue knew that she wasn’t going to change her mind.  The sword at her left hip was facing backward in a sign of peace, but the small axe at her right hip, where most would carry a dagger was sheathed in the standard blade facing forward.  The quiver upon her back had her bow sheathed inside it as it was slung over her back so that they were accessible just over her right shoulder.  She was dressed for war.  The armor she was wearing was light and mostly leather.  The only actual metal of her armor were the vambraces that she wore.  The cloak that she wore was blue and bore the standard of the fairies.  She was wearing at Blue’s behest, but she kept her tattoos covered.  She felt overdressed considering what she normally wore, but it wasn’t every day that she was having an audience with the Queens and was being presented as a knight to the fairies.

“Just stay as quiet as possible.  I will do what I can, but I promise you that I will get you the audience with them alone.  Since we know that Red is there, then Belle should be as well.  I don’t know if anyone else is there.  With me backing you, Snow and David would take your side accordingly.  It would have been better if Tink could come, but she had duties elsewhere.”

“Of course, Blue.  I just need to know that everything I’ve done hasn’t been in vain.  I need to know that what I’ve endured has given them the happy endings that they deserve,” Coraline said.

“I know.”

“Now you are the first and only knight that I have employed, act like.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Coraline replied as she dipped her head in salute.

“And, stop that.  Regina would know immediately that we are lying.  Keep your head up and only salute Emma and Regina.  They are the Queens and the only royalty.  I am sure that Regina will question me later about having a knight in my repertoire, but that will be my problem.”

“I understand, Blue.  I will be the pious knight that serves you well.  I will be an adventurer that has pledge my sword to your service.  I know my place.  I have accepted what I have to do.  It is something that I have come to terms with in my long life,” Coraline told her.

“Long life?  You are barely twenty-five, Coraline.  I know that you have seen some things and done some things, but you were only trapped in that well for five years,” Blue stated.

“For you it was five years, for me it was a few hundred years.”

Blue just stared at her as they made their way down the path and towards the castle.  She watched as Coraline studied every bit of terrain.  Ever the warrior, the mage and the princess, Coraline was the Swan Princess.  She was every bit of Emma and Regina’s happy ending personified.  And, she was still fighting to make sure that they got it, because she was and always would be the Survivor.  Just like her mothers.

“Are you scared?” Blue asked as they got closer to the castle.

“Terrified.”

“Do you think that they will remember how you are?”

“Not if they drank the Kool Aid.”

Blue looked at her.  She wondered what that meant.  She knew that Coraline would eventually tell her.  Today might not be that day, but she knew because of the ring that gave her the memories of Coraline from their past in Storybrooke that Coraline would tell her what she needed to know as she needed to know it.  Coraline was the Dark One, but Blue didn’t see the need to fear her.  She had given her no reason to fear her. 

 

Red woke up and she was alone.  She sat up and looked around her apartment.  She could tell that the sun was just setting.  Belle couldn’t have been long gone from the bed, because she could still feel her warmth on the sheets.  She looked around again.  She saw Belle’s shoes just inside her bedroom door.

Just as she was about to call out for Belle, she came out of the in suite bathroom.  Their eyes met and Red actually blushed.  She didn’t know why she was feeling bashful about being naked as Belle came back into the room.  She hastily gathered the sheet around her body as she stood up and walked across the room to Belle’s side.

“What’s wrong?” Belle asked her.

“Nothing, now.  I thought you’d left.  Is everything okay?” Ruby asked her.

“I am fine.  As far as I know, there are no changes at the Abbey.  I know that you have some mission from Coraline to carry out.  I think that I am going to go back to the Abbey and sit with her.  I want to talk with her before they take her heart,” Belle told her.

“I am sure that she would enjoy that,” Ruby stated.

“How are you?  Are you calmer now?  Do you need anything?” Belle asked her.

“No, Babe, I am good.  I am going to head out to the woods and run for a while.  I’ll meet you back at the Abbey.  If you need me before then, Regina will know how to get me,” Ruby said.

“I will.  Be careful and I’ll see you later.  Love you,” Belle replied as she left the apartment.

She made her way back through town.  She smiled at those townspeople who didn’t know what was going on their town.  She was happy.  They could see that she was happy.  She didn’t need to tell them that Coraline was becoming the Dark One and that Regina and Emma were losing their daughter.  She could only imagine the backlash that it would create among the townsfolk.

Belle knew all too well what the people would do if they found out that her sister and Regina's daughter had become the Dark One.  They wouldn't care that she killed Rumple.  They would be afraid of her and by proxy Regina, Emma and Belle.  She understood why they would be afraid.  They would have every right to be.  Regina wouldn't stand for it.  Emma was the Saviour, but that would only get her so much freedom.

She just hoped that she could actually do something subtly with her new found magic.  She would need to talk to Coraline about it.  She hoped that they could talk alone.  She wondered if the fairies would give them the time.  Things were so different now that everyone involved knew that Coraline was slowly being destroyed from the inside out.

She hadn’t realized that she’d made it to the Abbey until she was inside.  She wasn’t sure if she’d used magic to get herself there or not.  It didn’t matter.  She needed to see Belle.  They needed to talk about the gift and what she needed from Belle.  That was all that matter to her now.

She knocked on the door and waited.  Tink opened the door.  She gave Belle a quizzical look, but didn’t stop her from coming in the room.  She moved and allowed Belle to come in. 

She looked over Coraline.  She looked at peace, but she could still see the wariness of her plight written on her face.  There was no way to hide it.  Belle did her best not to flinch, but her heart was breaking.  She had never been attached to anyone like she had to Coraline.  They may not be blood sisters, but the time that they shared,  there in Storybrooke, she believed that Coraline was her sister and that was all it took for Belle.  She didn’t need proof.  She didn’t care.  She took what Coraline said at face value.  For intents and purposes, Coraline would always be her sister.  If she eventually became her ward, then so be it.  But, she would always love her.

“She’s been sleeping for a few hours,” Tink told her.

“Is she in pain?” Belle asked.

“I don’t know.  I imagine she is, but she won’t say anything about it.  How is Ruby?”

“Calmer.  She’s working on whatever project Coraline has given her.  I don’t know what it is, but whatever it is, it is huge and she feels like she has to do it.”

“I understand.  We all feel responsible for Coraline.  We all love her,” Tink told her.

“We do,” Belle said turning back to look down at Coraline.

“I’ll leave you alone for now.  I’ll be back later to check on her…and you.  Blue is with Regina and Emma, right.  Rest easy, Belle.  We’re going to find a way to help her,” Tink explained.

“I hope so.”

Tink just nodded.  She left Belle alone and hoped that Belle found the answers to the questions that she had yet to ask Coraline.  She closed the door and worked her way down the corridors to her own cloister room where she would try to get some sleep. 

Belle looked at the brunette in the bed.  She still looked like Coraline.  She still smelled like Coraline.  She still felt like Coraline.  To Belle after loving Rumple, she could see the slight differences, but she was still Coraline.  It didn’t matter what she did, said or magicked.  She would always be Coraline, her little sister, her friend.  Belle would defend her.

She was lost in her own thoughts about how she could possibly help.  She could feel the new power flowing through her body and she knew that she would have to go to Regina when everything was over.  She would need to learn to control the power before it took her over.  She knew that it was a gift.  She would never fear herself or her power.  She knew what magic could do and she knew what good it could do as well.  She would never stop until Coraline was back with them, safe and not plagued by the darkness of the Dark One’s curse.

She hadn’t heard Coraline stirring with her musings.  Coraline smiled up at the woman who was more than an aunt.  Coraline still thought of her as a sister and friend.  Belle was one of the few who didn’t treat her as a child.  She was always truthful and straight with her.  It was one of the reasons that they had a quiet but loyal relationship. 

“Belle?” Coraline asked quietly as she watched Belle beside her.

“Coraline…I thought you were sleeping.”

“I was.”

“Do you need anything?  Should I get Tink or Blue?  Do you need more sleep?  I can go.”

“No, Belle, stay.”

A slow smile crossed the auburn-headed brunette face.  Coraline wanted her there.  It was the only thing that Belle needed to focus on.  They needed each other in that moment.  Their relationship had grown quietly behind closed doors.  They could turn to each other when Ruby and Will just weren’t enough.  It was Belle’s quiet strength and her knowledge that kept Coraline moving forward for so many years.  Belle would never know what her love meant to Coraline in the future, so she tried to make her understand now, when they were both relatively the same age.  They know shared a bond of mutual magic.  Coraline finally smiled back at her.

“I will stay as long as you would like me to, Coraline.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

It hurt Coraline to need anyone.  She had been on her own for so long and had survived for so long on her own.  Now she had her family and they were everything that she wanted them to be.  They were fiercely loyal, strong, magical, erringly hopeful, and fanatically loving.  Belle was different.  She just was.

“Coraline, will you tell me your plan?” Belle questioned.

“I don’t want you to know.”

“Ruby won’t tell me.  You won’t tell me.  The weight of the knowledge is destroying Emma and Regina.  This isn’t just your burden, Coraline.  It is the burden of us all,” Belle told her.

“I don’t want it to be,” Coraline said.

“Then tell me what I can do to alleviate their pain.”

“I don’t…I don’t know.  Everyone thinks that I will die and that is what they need to think, Belle.  They can’t understand or they won’t understand what it means for me to actually be the Dark One.  I know that you are uniquely qualified that department, but you’ve done enough.”

“I haven’t done enough,” Belle mused dejectedly as she slumped slightly in the chair.

“Don’t…please don’t.  I don’t want you to be upset.  I will tell you what I can, but nothing more.  I know that you want to know everything, but there is a reason that Rumple didn’t let you in all the way.  The Darkness…it is powerful and seducing.  The only way I am fighting this right now is due to the cuff on my wrist and the fact that the fairies are still giving me treatments.  I cannot be the one that they want me to be anymore and they are mourning that fact.  I wish that I could be.  I wish that I could be the daughter that they deserve, but I am giving them that chance all over again.  I’m giving myself a chance at a happier childhood.  I know that isn’t what they want to hear, but it is the truth.  I will gladly take this…problem…with me knowing that I’ve done everything in order to protect my family,” Coraline explained.

“I am not going to leave you, Coraline.  You are still my sister.  I will never leave you.”

“You will.  They all do in the end.  It can’t be helped.  I am the Dark One.  Can you love me the same knowing that?” Coraline questioned as her voice broke.

“I can, Coraline.  I promise you that.  I am not going to let this stop us from helping you.  You might be the Dark One, but you are still apart of this family.  Our family is broken and disjointed but we still function for the betterment of this town and its people.  It is what we have always done and what we will always do.  We fight for our family and we aren’t done fighting yet.”

Coraline smiled.  She could feel her magic calling out to Belle now that they were connected.  It was a familial pull.  She knew that Belle could feel it, too.

“I will always know where you are, won’t I?”

“The magic?  Not especially, no, but you will always know when I am near.  I gave you that magic to help them when I am gone.  They will be lost for a while.”

“We all will,” Belle stated.

“You will still know that I am alive.  As long as I live, you will know that I am alive.  The magic I gave you isn’t something that can be inherited or learned.  It can only be given in love.  I can’t explain it fully.  But, you can ask Mom about it later,” Coraline explained.

Belle grabbed the chair and moved closer to the cot.  She knew exactly what Coraline had done.  She’d looked into it as soon as she left her earlier.  She’d known what she was capable of doing as soon as the power flowed through her.  She knew why Coraline did it.  She was one of the few that would corrupt the magic and would use it to help.  She took Coraline hand in her own.

“I know what I need to know, Coraline.  I don’t need ask about how it happened.  I might need help controlling it and I am sure that your mother will ask me questions about it later.  That will be my problem, not yours.  You gave me this gift for a reason.  Will you tell me what it is?”

Coraline sighed.  She didn’t know what to tell Belle.  Should she tell her the truth?

“I…Belle…”

“Just tell me, Coraline.  I am not going anywhere.  I will help where I can,” Belle urged.

She sighed again.  She squeezed Belle’s hand tighter.  She turned on the cot to face her.

“I will tell you what I am going to do.”

“What does that mean?”

“I am not dying.  You know this.  I am the Dark One.  I will be until someone else takes the power from me.  Fortunately or unfortunately, I am not tether to the dagger.  The power has grown away from it.  I will have to willingly give up my power.  I cannot be killed like Sosa was by Rumple.  My death will be at my choice, not age, disease or by someone else’s hand.  I am immortal, now.  The power flows through me.  I can feel it in my entire being.  I am choosing to take it and not be full of hatred and anger.  I am doing everything that I can with the light magic that I was born with to fight the darkness,” Coraline explained.

“I know all that, Coraline.  What aren’t you telling me?  What are you hiding?”

“When I take Neal’s heart, I will let myself completely succumb to the darkness.  It is the only way that my heart will be able to keep Neal alive.  I cannot heal his heart.  It isn’t whole.  I can survive with his half heart.  He will be fine with my heart.  He will grow up big and fair.  He will rule as he should when he comes of age.”

“What about Snow and Charming?”

“They will live a long life and rule well.  Neal will survive them and rule the kingdom as he should.  I will be able to protect him if I have come home to the family.  I will make sure that the family doesn’t end.  But, most of all because I have taken the darkness inside myself, Snow will not betray the family in order to save Neal.  He will already have been saved.  The Darkness that we were trying to stop will have never been called forth.  Saving Neal saves us all.”

“Snow already told me as such.”

“I am sure that she needed an ally.”

“She told Regina days ago,” Belle added.

“She needed to clear her conscience for an act that she hadn’t even done yet,” Coraline mused.

“Snow can’t stand to be in the wrong.  You should know that.  You’ve read the stories, even in Henry’s book.  Snow fights for what she believes in, but she cannot do anything that is considered evil without trying to placate someone for the act.  She begged Regina to kill her after she caused Cora to die at Regina’s hand.  Regina refused.  I am not sure I understand their relationship, but at some point, I get it,” Belle stated.

“I am sure that you do because of your love for Rumple.”

“I don’t think that it is on the same level, but, yes, I do.”

“She loves Regina.  She always has and that has been part of the problem for them both.  They love each other, but there is so much history between them… I am not sure that they understand why they could never actually kill each other in the past.  They will always have a strong and strange familial relationship.  At first they were parent and child.  Then, through their friendship and working through their issues, they were almost sisters.  That was until Emma fell in love with Regina.  Now, they will be related by marriage again.  The once step-mother will become the daughter-in-law.  I am sure that complicates things between them again.”

“Snow is dealing with it in her own right,” Belle replied.

“I know that she is.  Mom and Ma try not to think about it.  Mom isn’t actually related to her by blood, so there is no conflict there.  Snow has her reasons and I get them.  She doesn’t want to lose Neal.  She lost Emma, in more ways than one, but she still has her daughter and an heir.  To lose her only son will destroy her completely.  I think Mom understands that because of Henry.  She understood why Snow would do what she did by releasing the Darkness in order to try to save Neal.  But, Snow doesn’t understand that you can’t control the Darkness.  It controls you.”

“I would like to think that we stop her from doing it, but you’re being here means that didn’t happen.  We can only hope that you are right and that she doesn’t do something that we will all regret because we couldn’t stop her.  Do you think that she will still try something?  Even now?”

“No, I don’t.  I have stopped that timeline for happening.  Things will be different now.  I don’t know what that is, because I am not privy it to.  I haven’t lived that timeline.  Remy will live it for me.  My history is no longer the future and for that I am glad.  Remy will have the life that I wanted.  She won’t have to know that pain that I have,” Coraline told her.

“I understand all that, Coraline.  But, what will you do?  Will you stay with us?”

“I can’t.  I will not corrupt Remy’s life with mine.  She doesn’t need to know what I have done in order for her to have her life with Mom and Ma.  She doesn’t need to know that in another life she grew up to be the Dark One.  Do you think that she would be able to process that and be happy?  I don’t.  She doesn’t need to know who or what I was or am,” Coraline stated.

“Then what will you have us tell her?”

“Stories,” Coraline related.

“Stories?”

“Yes, just tell her stories.  She won’t know that they are true.  She will grow up believing that the stories which are known as truth to some are nothing more than legends.  She doesn’t need to know that stories she’ll love hearing growing up and reading about are an actual history.  Do you know what that kind of knowledge might do to her psyche?  Would you want to know that you came back to save your family only to become the Dark One?  Would you like to know that you are the one that will have to go back in time to save the family?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“Good, because I don’t her to have that knowledge either.”

“Then what do you want me to do about that?” Belle questioned.

“I need you to write the story of Coraline.”

“The story of Coraline?”

“Yes, you can make it as colorful as you would like.  But, record it.  Give me that.  Give me life in story.  Henry will cherish it.  Remy will find something in it to base her reign on.  She will be able to use it as a teaching text.  She will strive to be as heroic as her grandmother Snow, her mothers and the legendary warrior that serves her family only known as Coraline.  That is all she needs to know.  You can’t expect her to understand the complexity of my real life.”

“You want to embellish the story?” Belle asked.

“No, I want you to leave certain things out that would make her realize that she is me.”

“Coraline…”

“No, Belle, you have to promise that much.  Record our history.  Attach me to your family if you must, but do not give her the pain of knowing that she is me.  I will always use the name in which you gave me.  It is the name that I have used most of my life.  It is the name I answer to.  I am Coraline Danielle French.  It is something that has always been mine.”

Belle didn’t realize that she was crying until she felt the tears on her hands.  She looked down at them.  She saw the her hands were glowing as she help Coraline.  Each tear that joined their hands glowed before it faded away, absorbed into their skin.  Her blue eyes found the green swirling eyes of Coraline and she knew that Coraline was in pain because of the cuff.

“Do you want me to remove it?” Belle asked her as one hand moved down to the binding cuff.

“No, leave it.  I am fine.  You are my family, Belle.  Do not mourn me.  Celebrate my life.”

“I will.  I will give your legend the means to inspire the young generations to be as heroic as you have been.  But, that still hasn’t answered my questions, Coraline.  What do you need of me?”

“Stay by Ruby.  She will need you.  She will turn to you to help her deal with the burden that I have given her.  You are the only one that can help her face it and not be alone.”

“What have you asked her to do?” Belle asked her.

“She is going to bury me in the well.  I will be entombed there until I will be able to control the Darkness inside of me.  I know that the well is fed by the waters of Lake Nostros.  I want to use that.  I want to heal the heart that I will have.  Having Neal’s half heart that is born from the most powerful magic known in all the realms, I hope to find a way to not dislodge the Darkness, but a way to use it for good.  I am going to find a way to make it not be feared but embraced as I become the embodiment of both the most powerful magics of love and hate,” Coraline explained.

“But, what do you need of me?”

“Besides keeping my stories alive?” Coraline asked in reply.

“Yes,” Belle replied simply.

“I want you to help Ruby in the hardest part of her tasks that I have asked of her,” Coraline said.

“Which is?”

“You must make them forget me.”

“What?” Belle questioned like she was out of breath.  “Why would you want us to forget you?  How could I write your stories if I don’t remember?”

“You will have time to complete them.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because we have bought enough time for you to do so,” Coraline told her.

She shifted in the bed.  She knew that this was going to be the hardest part of this conversation, but she’d prepared for it.  It was one of the reasons that she gave Belle the powers she had.

“Wait, why?” Belle demanded.

“I gave you the magic so you would know me.  You will be the only one that will always know what I am as soon as you see me.  It is part of the magic I gave you.  You might not remember me, but you will know me.  I need someone that can help me reintegrate when I come back.  I will need an ally,” Coraline told her.

“And you have chosen me?”

“Who would you have me choose then?” Coraline asked.

“One of your mothers,” Belle answered.

“They wouldn’t be able to handle such a burden.  Ruby has enough of a burden in entombing me.  I wouldn’t ask this of you if I didn’t think that you could handle the truth, Belle.  You’ve done so much in the background that they don’t really know what you are capable of.  I do.  You raised me.  You reared me into being the person I am today.  Don’t forget that.”

“But, I didn’t have magic,” Belle stated.

“No, you didn’t.  But, now, you do.  And, I need to know that you will follow my wishes.”

Belle let go of her hand.  She sat back.  She stared down at the woman before her.

“What are your wishes?”

“Keep my legend alive, but make them forget me.  If they don’t remember the trauma of my ‘death,’ then they will be able to move on with happiness and Remy won’t suffer for it.  No one needs to mourn me.  Remy will still be born.  She will still be alive.  She will be the one that will need them.  I will not.  I am the Survivor.  I will find my way back.  You’ll see.”

“I’ll be waiting then for you in our future… you will always be my sister…”


	56. Chapter 56

Regina was alone in the room.  She still couldn’t believe that Emma wanted to get married, but she’d made her case.  Regina had relented and Emma had gone to find Blue.  They would wed before Coraline so she would know that they were together when she goes to her tomb.  They would give her some peace and happiness as she goes to fight the Darkness within.

Regina sighed.  Was she actually ready to marry Emma?  She felt herself holding her stomach.  She couldn’t stop thinking about Coraline.  Would she be okay in that well?  She knew that there was nothing that she could do for her.  She was the Dark One now.  There was no way to cure that except death.  And, Coraline would die before she let anyone else take on her burden.

Regina looked over at the mattress in the room.  She had conjured it for her Emma to lay on, to try to get some rest, but rest was something that she was afforded.  There simply was no rest for the weary or the wicked.  And, in Regina’s mind, she was both.

She had started pacing again.  Her magic was just below her skin, but thanks to the room, she wasn’t leveling the building.  She needed to control herself, but she wasn’t sure that she wanted to.  She ran her hands through her hair and curse in many different languages.  Almost thirty years in this world, she’d spent time learning to curse in other languages just in case she might need it someday.  Little did she know at the time that the curses then were just words, they didn’t mean anything because there was no magic.  But, now that she had magic, she took relief that they still had no power.  They were just empty words that helped her express her anger, without the use of magic.  They were safe, even if they weren’t very queen-like.

There was a knock on the door.  Regina stopped pacing.  She merely stared at the door.  She willed it to open because she no longer had the energy to go to it and open it.  Seconds later, there was a softer knock as they door opened slowly. It revealed Tink behind it.

“Regina?”

“What Moth?”

“Well, it is good to see you to, majesty,” Tink replied.

“Has something happened?”

“No, nothing has changed.  Belle is in with her now.  I came to check on you.”

“Why do you care?”

“Regina…”

“I’m fine.”

“Don’t lie to me,” Tink told her.  “I can still hear your wishes, even if I can’t grant them.  I am still trying to help you.  Attacking me isn’t going to do anything but piss Blue off.”

“It will make me feel better,” Regina said absentmindedly.

“Will it really?” Tink questioned.

“No,” Regina answered dejectedly.

“Regina, I want to help.  I want to cure her of the darkness, but it is beyond our magical ability.  Trust me, we’ve tried.  All we can do is delay its all-encompassing power.  We’ve protected her heart to buy us time, but that will only last for so long.  We keep pulling the darkness from her and let it fade into the world.  The small doses aren’t bad for everyone.  We can’t pull it all out of her.  It has become part of her.  We can only do what we can do.  We can’t stop it, but we can slow it down.  Being angry will only make you feel worse.  Love your daughter.  That is all she wants from you,” Tink told her.

“I know that.”

“Then what else has you this upset?” Tink asked her.

“Emma wants to get married,” Regina stated.

“So?  What’s wrong with marrying her?  She is your True Love.  You’re pregnant with her child.  Things aren’t that bad for you two.  You love her, don’t you?”

“Yes, I love her.  By the gods do I love her, but she wants to get married now.  She wants Blue to do the wedding.  Like she wants to get married right now in front of Coraline.  She seems to think that it will help Coraline’s transition if she knows that her parents are married before she succumbs to the darkness.  I don’t know how that will work.  She knows that we were married when she was a little girl.  Coraline knows that we love each other.  She is the representation of our love.  She is the embodiment.  What does a quick marriage prove?” Regina asked.

“Maybe she needs to more to make it more real for her,” Tink stated.

“Am I not enough for her?  Is Coraline not important?  What should I do?”

“I am sure that you know the answers to those questions.  You know that Emma loves you.  I think she wants to celebrate that love with your daughter.  She doesn’t mean to pressure you into it, but she feels that she needs your support.  I think she is doing this because it will help her deal with the loss of Coraline even though she is gaining Remy in her place.  Do you love her enough to give her this?” Tink questioned as she got closer to Regina.

“Yes, absolutely.  I would do anything for Emma.  She knows that.  Coraline knows that.”

“Then, marry her.”

“But…”

“No, buts, Regina.  Marry her.  Give her this.  You both know that you can have a lavish wedding later.  She wants her daughter to see the happiness that you both create with each other.  She is hoping that an act of True Love will somehow help her deal with the pain of the darkness.  It is the only thing that Emma can think of doing.  She loves you.  She loves Coraline and she doesn’t want to lose her.  She loves you but even I can hear the pain in her heart.  She fears what will happen when Coraline is gone.  She fears the anger and the hatred that will fill you both.”

“I am angry.  I am furious, but not at her.  Not even at Snow.  I am fucking pissed at Rumple.”

“And you have every right to be,” Tink replied.

“But, this marriage?”

“Do you love her enough to get passed your past with Leopold to marry her?”

“Yes.”

“Do you love your daughter enough to show her how much you love Emma?”

“Yes.”

“Then marry her.  Give them both the hope that they are both so desperately searching for.”

Regina looked at the petite blonde.  She knew that Tink had a point.  There was no real reason that Regina shouldn’t marry Emma.  Her past didn’t dictate her future.  Emma was so different than Leopold.  She had nothing to fear with Emma.  Emma loved her completely.  She loved Coraline, or Remy even though she was still in womb and growing strong.  Emma hadn’t left her side.  She hadn’t run when things got bad.  She’d dug in and crawled her way to Regina.  Emma had done everything that she knew how to do to prove herself and her love to Regina over and over again.  It was time for Regina to step up.

“I will,” Regina told her with a new smile on her face.

Tink smiled at her.  She knew that Regina was fighting her own demons.  Marrying Emma was the least of her problems.  She hadn’t really left the room since Blue had brought her in there.  She was trying to center herself and fight anger that was building because of Coraline’s “death.”

“Good.  Now let’s work on a dress for you.  You might not be having a palace wedding, but you are still a Queen.  And, Emma is a princess.  You should be dressed accordingly.”

“Do you think that Snow will convince Emma to dress up?”

“I don’t think that you have to worry about it.  If Snow doesn’t, I am sure that Blue will.  We both know what a stickler for the rules and royalty that Blue is,” Tink replied.

“You would think so, but she makes me wonder sometimes.”

“Who?  Blue?  Why?” Tink questioned.

“I think that she has her own agenda.  She is the fairy godmother for the House of White, but she has come to grips that includes me via marriage.  And, with me marrying Emma, it will be twice.  She has no choice but to accept me.”

“But, that isn’t enough for Blue and you know it,” Tink mused.

“That’s true, but she is helping me.  She called me ‘Majesty’ earlier.  I think I’m finally growing on her.  But, then again, the bug always has a reason to do what she wants.  She supports Emma and Coraline because they are the descendants of Snow.  I am just not sure what her true angle is with me.  Do you know anything?  Is there some reason that she has decided to support me?”

“I haven’t heard her say anything.”

Regina regarded the fairy before her.  Tink was telling her the truth, but she wasn’t sure that Blue would even tell Tink about Regina.  She knew that it was Blue’s duty to support everyone, but Tink was the only one of the fairies that had ever supported her. 

“We both know that she’ll side with Emma, Tink.”

“She might, but she knows that you love each other.  For Blue, that is all that will matter.  You are also True Loves.  She can’t go against that.  She knows that.  She can only support you both.”

“Support us both?” Regina asked.

“She will support you both because of your love for each other.  You are marrying Emma.  That means that she is in your corner.  Plus, I think that she had re-evaluated her stance on you.  She has seen what you have done with the town.  She knows that you are planning to continue to support the town.  She supported Snow giving you back the mayorship.  She is not dumb, Regina.  She wants to help you.  She wants to help Coraline,” Tink explained.

“I am not sure that I will ever be prepared for Blue to be in my corner, Tink.”

“Well, get used to it.  You are about to be a Charming,” Tink told her.

“I don’t think that I will ever be a Charming, dear.  Emma isn’t even a Charming.  She is a Swan.  Besides, I was already a White and now, I will be one again be default.”

“That is true,” Tink said laughing.

Regina laughed with her.  She needed this levity.  She was glad that Emma was on her side. 

 

Ruby was pacing around the well.  She didn’t want to do it, but she had promised Coraline that she would.  She wouldn’t go back on that, now.  They didn’t have the time to fight about it.  She had to get the top ready and quickly.

She whipped out a tape measure and started making notes.  She would go to Geppetto.  He would be able to help her set the form to make the new cement cap for it.  She didn’t know what else to do.  She would talk to Regina about placing some son of wards around the well to protect it.  They would need to give themselves and Coraline enough time and warning should something unsavory happen.

She didn’t want to think about contingency plans, but they needed to.  It wasn’t like they knew what would happen once Coraline was lowered, powerless, into the well.  Coraline didn’t even know.  Her future stopped as soon as she became the Dark One.  Nothing that she knew of her future or Remy’s early life into early adulthood would matter because it wouldn’t have happened.  They were trapping the darkness within Coraline within the well.

Ruby got everything she needed.  She knew that with her brute strength, due to being a Wolf, she would be able to lift the slab on top of the well.  She didn’t want to have to do it by herself, but she didn’t want to ask Regina to help her close in her daughter.  That would be just barbaric.  No, she would do that part on her own and the call Regina to the well to help with the spells needed to keep it closed and put up the wards needed to protect it.

She ran back to town.  She hoped that t would alleviate the building anger inside her.  She knew that Belle would be an outlet.  Belle had told her as much with her mouth and her fingers earlier in the day, but Ruby didn’t feel right going to her to keep doing that.  She didn’t want to use Belle.  She would find other ways to blow off steam in the coming weeks.

She slowly entered Geppetto’s shop.  He looked up from his woodworking.  He gave her a lazy smile which she had no choice but to return.  She looked behind him and saw a young Pinocchio sitting there whittling something down.

“Hello, Ruby.  What can I do for you?” he asked her.

“I need your help in a project.”

“Of course.”

“I need to make a cement top.”

“Cement?”

“I know, Geppetto, but wood just won’t be strong enough.”

“Alright then, Ruby.  What did you have in mind?  How big do you need it?” he asked.

She handed him the sketches that she’d made and the measurements.  She watched as he looked them over and then gave her a quizzical look.  He shook his head and went over to a stack of lumber.

“I can help you.  It will be ready tomorrow.  I am thinking that is a necessary thing, no?”

“It is.”

“Does she know where you are putting it?” Geppetto asked Ruby point blank.

“She does,” Ruby answered, and then realized she was bouncing from foot to foot when he gave her a strange look.  “She does because she knows why I’m doing it.  I’ll see you tomorrow.  Thanks.”

Ruby was walking home when her phone rang.  She pulled it out and looked at the caller ID.  There were two calls, one from Belle and the other from Regina.  She didn’t know which one to answer first.  So, she let them both go to voicemail.  She would then listen to them and call them back accordingly.

She knew that it might trouble them, but she had a lot on her mind.  She needed this time away to think.  The more she worked on the well, the more upset she got.  She knew why Coraline chose her, but that didn’t make it any easier.  She knew that she was basically burying her niece alive.  It just wasn’t sitting well with her.  She knew the reasoning behind the action, but she was beginning to question the sanity of it.  She just wondered how a concrete slab was going to keep her in the well.  She was the gods damned Dark One, now.  If she really wanted out, she’d get out.

She sighed as she neared town.  She just went to Granny’s.  It was autopilot.  She went behind the counter and poured herself some coffee before taking a seat on a bar stool on the other side of the bar.  She looked at the stainless wall panels behind the counter and nursed her coffee.  Her thoughts were everywhere but where she wanted them at the moment.  She just needed this moment to herself.  She hoped that everyone else would understand.

“Chin up, Girl,” Granny told her, pouring her some more coffee.

“How do I know that I am doing the right thing?”

“Does it hurt in your heart?”

“Yeah,” Ruby replied.

“Is it something that needs to be done for the greater good for the whole of the town?”

“Yeah,” Ruby stated.

“Did Regina tell you to do it?”

“Ha ha, yeah, she did,” Ruby said with a slight laugh.

“Then you are doing the right thing.  She wouldn’t let you do something that didn’t need to be done or something that would hurt the town.  She loves this town as much as she loves you, Emma, Henry and Coraline.  She isn’t going to do anything to jeopardize it.  So, what’s going on with you, Girl?”

“Coraline is dying,” Ruby said nonchalantly.

She knew that Granny wouldn’t tell anyone, but the shock on her face was more than enough to worry Ruby some.  The woman actually gasped at the news.  She was sure that it wasn’t what Granny was expecting at all.  It would have been easier if she and Regina were just fighting over something trivial, but they weren’t.  They were both in in agreement and it was the hardest thing that either of them had faced in years.  They were losing Coraline...to the Darkness...now.

“How is Regina?”

“Blue has her locked in a room at the Abbey.  I don’t think that she’s been out since we found out.  I’ve spoken a little with her.  Emma’s been with her, too.  Ruby got me out of there for a little while earlier today.  I needed it, but I think I should be heading back.”

“Wait and take some food with you.  I’ll make everyone’s normal orders.  Now is not the time to break down, Girl.  You need to be there for your sister, Emma, and even Snow.  They are all going to need you now.  And, don’t forget to let Belle in.  She can help you.  She loves you, that one does.  Just remember that it isn’t weakness to love someone, Ruby.   Don’t make the same mistakes Regina and I made,” Granny told her before heading back into the kitchen.

Ruby stayed at the bar as Granny requested. Her thoughts drifted to Belle. She begun to wonder if she should tell her everything. She wanted to share the burden, but she didn't know if she should. She needed to talk to someone besides Granny and she knew that Belle would understand. Belle loved Coraline as much as she did. Sighing, she pulled out her phone and called her.

“Hello?”

“Belle…”

"Where are you?"

"I'm at Granny's.”

"I’ll be there in a minute. Don’t move. Ruby, I'm coming to you. Okay?" Belle asked her.

“I’m here.”

“I’ll be right there."

"Okay," Ruby answered mechanically.

She hung up the phone and put it away. She looked through the window into the kitchen and saw Granny hard at work. She smiled. Leave it to her Granny to make sure that everyone was taken care of no matter what crisis or catastrophe was going on around them. She had to laugh at that. Granny always looked for the brighter side of the issue. It was how she dealt with being a Wolf for so long.

True to her word, Belle sat down next to her a few minutes later. Ruby never asked her where she had come from. She was just glad that she was there now. Silently, Belle comforted her and slipped a lone arm around her back, pulling her into her smaller frame. Ruby went willingly.

"Let's go sit down in the back booth. We can talk and no one will really hear us. What's Granny doing?" Belle asked her as she led Ruby to the booth.

"She's making food for everyone.”

"That’s nice," Belle replied.

“It is.”

Belle watched her as she nursed the cup of coffee she'd brought from the counter. She was about to say something when Ashley came over and refilled Ruby cup and gave Belle one, too. She smiled up at the petite blonde and muttered a thanks, watching her walk away.

"What’s wrong besides the obvious, Ruby?” Belle finally asked her.

"We are going to kill Coraline."

"She isn't going to die und you know l Belle said matter-of-factually.

Ruby looked up and stared into her brilliant sapphire eyes. She sighed. She should have known that Coraline would tell Belle. She knew that Belle and she were together. She wouldn't want Ruby to share the burden alone because she could see how it was destroying her inside. She knew that Ruby would need an outlet and Belle was the perfect thing for her.

"She told you?”

"You knew she would eventually. She still thinks of us as aunts and friends. She still thinks of me as a sister because it is easier for her to do so. She didn't want you to be burdened by yourself, Ruby. She loves you. She knew that you would burden yourself over putting her in the well."

"Regina knows," Ruby replied.

"Of course she does. She's Regina. She'd've found out on her own as well. But, we both know that either you or Coraline would tell her. You would be able to help yourselves. You both love her."

"We do," Ruby stated.

“When?"

"When what?”

"When will you do it?" Belle asked her.

"After they transfer Neal's heart into her. Blue is already planning the funeral for the town. It will be sometime after that, with just Regina and me," Ruby explained.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

“No.”

"What about Emma?" Belle asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Coraline doesn`t want her there. Regina isn't supposed to be there, either, but I will need her help putting up the wards that will keep the well sealed. I don't have magic. Besides, Emma will be dealing with Henry and Will and the rest. I am sure that...." Ruby started.

"That she won't want to see her daughter entombed?"

"Yes," Ruby answered dejectedly.

"I’ll stay with her, then.”

"Thank you.”

"She's asked me to help you with the last command that she'd given you. It is actually part of the tasks she's asked me to do. I don't know how we are going to do it, but I will look into for you. You've got enough to worry about with the well. I can do this."

"You're going to brew a memory potion?" Ruby inquired giving her a look.

"Don't look at me like that. I was with Rumple long enough to learn some magic and potion making. No, I've never done it, but I know how to follow a recipe. Why do you think that Regina is so good at cooking? Potion making isn't much different. All I need to do is find the right recipe and ingredients."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Ruby asked, worried about her.

"I can do this, Ruby. I need to help you do something. Besides, I’ll be sitting with Coraline. I am sure that she has some thoughts about what I should do. Look, I know that this is dangerous, but I get the reasoning behind the measure. It is a drastic act, yes, but one that I think is needed. She made valid points about not wanting Remy to be affected by her death. Would you want that?" Belle asked her.

“No, I wouldn't.”

"Then, let me do this. I can do this. I’ll be okay," Belle told her trying to reassure her, but knowing that it wouldn't be enough to alleviate the pain in Ruby's heart.

 

Emma found Blue in her office.  She had magic books strewn around her desk and she was pouring over them.  Emma knew that the fairy wouldn’t give up, but it was nice to see it in person.  She barely registered that Emma had come in, but then she reached out for another book.  When she didn’t find it where she wanted it to be, she looked up and then saw Emma.

“Something wrong, Princess?”

“No, Blue, not yet.”

“What brings you here then?  Shouldn’t you be with Regina or Coraline right now?  Do you need something?  I left Tink and Nova in charge while I continued to look into some things.”

“I know.  They are doing a good job.  But, I needed to talk to you personally about something.”

Blue dropped the book on her desk and sat back in her high-backed leather chair.  She looked over the blonde and noticed that she was upset but not overly so.  She wondered what Emma was thinking.

“What is it?”

“I know that Granny has done most of the weddings for the town since the Curse lifted, but I was thinking about doing something a little more...magical,” Emma just straight out told her.

“More magical?” Blue questioned skeptically.

“I’ve been doing some reading...” Emma started.

“Reading?” Blue quipped, cocking an eyebrow and giving Emma her full attention now.

The brunette looked at the blonde.  She wondered what she actually wanted and if Regina had agreed to it.  She already knew that she would help Emma, but she was surprised that Emma had come to her about this now.  She knew that Emma was impulsive.  She was like Snow in that manner, but this just seemed a little over the top even for her.

“Yeah, while we were doing research for Coraline, I came across some passages that I found really interesting and it got me thinking.  I know that the timing seems off, but I want to do this for Coraline.”

“I’m listening.”

“I want to have a hand fasting with Regina,” Emma told her, as she finally got more comi0nablc in the chair across from Blue’s desk, her viridian eyes shining.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I am sure that this was more of a surprise for the Queen then for myself.  Are you sure that you want to do this, Emma?  It isn’t just a simple ceremony.  This is bonding of your souls.”

“We are True Loves.  We are already bonded.  This would be for Coraline though.  She would see our love more tangibly.  I think it will help us deal with her transition and her coming birth.”

“Emma...you have to understand while I might agree to do this for you, Coraline is not the same child that is growing in Regina.  That is Remy.  Coraline has no memory of this time line.  She has changed so much in order to protect Neal and herself that she has removed the need for her to come back in time to save us.  When she finally succumbs to the Darkness, I don’t know what will actually happen to her.  Having this ceremony isn’t going to help her.  I’m afraid.  It’ll be merely a loving gesture for her to see.”

“I understand that, but I think it will be more.”

“Want to explain that?” Blue questioned, sitting forward and resting her hands on the desk.

“I get where she is coming from.  I didn’t grow up with my parents either.  While I am sure Ruby and Belle did a good job with her, I can see it.  But that isn’t the same.  She always had to wonder why she didn’t come first for us.  She didn’t see that she did because of what happened that day to her.  She took it personally and I would have, too, from a child’s perspective.  She had no reason not to question it.  There was no one there that could prove to her otherwise,” Emma explained.

“I am not sure that is the same thing.”

“She fought for us the only way she knew how.  She survived the Black Queen.  She took the fight to the Black Queen when she was tired of hiding.  She wanted to do something heroic in order to deserve her position as the last remaining royal heir to any throne.  She did what I would have and I can’t fault her for that.  She couldn’t have known what she was getting herself into.” Emma told her.

“No, she couldn’t.  And, she paid the price for it, too.  She was tortured for sixty days.  I know you’ve seen the scars on her back.  She can’t escape them.  I’ve done what I could for her, but I’m not as omnipotent as some believe.  But, Coraline rebelled knowing who she was.  You didn’t.  You rebelled because it is in your nature and you felt abandoned,” Blue countered.

“I was abandoned.  And, so was she.  We abandoned her.  I didn’t stay in the castle with her and Regina.  I rode out to fight the coming Darkness and I perished because of it.  When Regina heard of my death, she walked lo hers leaving Coraline with Belle and Ruby.  If that isn’t us abandoning her, I don’t know what is.  Yes, we were fighting for the realm and our kingdom, but did we stop to think about our family?  I don’t know, because I wasn’t there...rather I haven’t done it yet.”

“She came back to stop it from happening.  I believe that she has.  We seem to have found the cause for the Blackness and we’ve stopped it.  She’s also found a way to save your little brother, Neal at the same time.  I am not sure whether that is a causal effect or not, but it doesn’t matter.  She’s completed her mission.  So, forgive me if I don’t understand why you think you need to marry Regina for Coraline’s sake.  It just doesn’t make any sense to me,” Blue told her.

“Why not?”

“Why are you really doing this, Emma?”

“I want her to know that she is loved.”

“Is that all?” Blue questioned.

“Yes.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Believe me or not, will you do it?” Emma inquired with a slight anger in her voice.

“Tell me why you really want to do this and I’ll consider it.”

Emma huffed.  It was now or never, she guessed.  If she couldn’t tell Blue, then she knew that she could never tell Regina the truth either.  What was it about that gods damned fairy that made talking to her so easy?  Emma huffed again.  This isn’t what she wanted.  She wanted Blue to just say yes and that would be the end of it.  She would tell Regina and they would be wed by the end of the night.

“Well?” Blue quipped.

“Fine.”

“So?”

“I am afraid.”

“Of what?” Blue asked, now completely changing her direction of thought at Emma’s admission.

“Of failing Regina and Remy.”

“Why?”

“I failed Henry.”

“I am sure he wouldn’t think so,” Blue answered.

“I left him.  I abandoned him like I was abandoned.  It was a choice and I made it.  I’ve paid for that choice since that day, but I wouldn’t change it.  Regina has done a wonderful job of raising him.  I couldn’t have asked for a better mother than her for him.”

“Then you didn’t fail him.  You gave him up because you knew that you weren’t a position to raise him on your own.  You made a hard choice, but it was the right choice.  I am not saying that because it brought you here to break the Curse.  I am telling you that because it is the truth and you know it.  You knew what it was like in the system and you didn’t want that for him.  I looked at the adoption paperwork once upon a time, Emma, for my own curiosity.  You gave him something that you’d never had: a loving home and a consistent lifestyle.  You were in prison and had no family.”

“Yeah…”

“Would you have come for him after you got out if you had a family and a stable lifestyle?”

“Yes.”

“Then there is nothing for you to fear about Henry.  He understands it.  He loves you.  He was confused about everything in the beginning when he brought you here, but I think that all changed in Neverland.  He saw you and Regina working together.  He saw how much you both loved him.  He finally found out how broken you were when you gave him up.  He thinks that it was fate due to the Curse, but he hasn’t had to face a choice that large for an adult, yet.  He is getting there, but until then, he will only see it through the eyes of a child.  Kind of like you do when it comes to your parents, but it is also understandable.  In your cases, experience is the only teacher you had to go by,” Blue told her.

“And it was crappy in my case,” Emma added.

“Coraline doesn’t have that.  Yes, she doesn’t have her parents, but she is loved and cared for.  It is just by her aunts.  She never has to wonder about that.  She knows that.  It took her coming here though to see how much love she actually had.  She let one situation cloud her thoughts for years, kind of like her other mother.  When she realized what she was and what she could do, she went on her quest, like you.  So, why do you think her seeing you many would help her?” Blue asked her.

“Because it would show her how much we love her.”

“By you marrying Regina?”

“Yes.”

“I still fail to see how that will show her you love her.”

“We will be giving her hope.”

“Hope?”

“Yes, hope,” Emma replied.

“And, how will that give her hope?”

“We will be a united front for her.  She will know that it is with our love that she was conceived.  She will know that our love will always fight for her.  I don’t want to lose her, but I know that I am.  I understand the fact that she is also gr wing inside of Regina, but they are the same.  They won’t be the same.  They can’t be.  Like you said, experience is a great teacher.  They won’t have had the same experiences so Remy and Coraline, while being our daughter and looking the same, won’t be the same person.  Their souls should be fundamentally different.”

“I can see that,” Blue stated, but then asked.  “And, your hand fasting to Regina would give her what?”

“It would let her know that we are doing everything for her.”

“I still don’t set it.”

“She wouldn’t be a bastard,” Emma finally said.

“And, there it is.  There is the truth you’ve been hiding.  Why are you afraid of her being a bastard?”

“She wouldn’t be in line for anything, right?”

“How does that matter?  We are here and not in the Enchanted Forest.  You being married doesn’t matter.  She would still be a princess of the realm.  Henry is received as one.”

“Because he is male!”

“You don’t think that if something happened and we ended up in the Enchanted Forest that Regina wouldn’t take care of that minor technicality?” Blue asked her.

“I am sure she would, but I don’t want that to be an issue.  I love Regina.  She loves me.  I am not going to leave her.  She is the only one for me and she knows this.  We’ve created this wonderful being that will be born in a few short months.”

“Tell me why you need this,” Blue demanded.

“I need Regina,” Emma replied.

“Then, why didn’t you lead with that?”

“Because I am being selfish.”

“Yes, you are, but after everything that you all have been through, I believe that you are entitled to be just a little bit.  And, I can also see how this will give Coraline some hope.  She knows magic and True Love.  This will help her to continue fighting.  Hopefully her memories and her experiences here with the love of her mothers and her aunts will help her find a way to tame the Darkness inside.  I can’t promise that it will work.  I don’t see the future.  But, I can hope for your and Regina’s sake.”

“Don’t forget about Will.  I know that this is destroying her.  She hasn’t been back to the Abbey since we found out about the Darkness.  We are never going to stop loving her or fighting for her, Blue.”

“I would never ask you to,” Blue told her.

“Will you do this for me?  For us?  For Coraline?”

“I will do the ceremony, but you need to talk with Coraline. She deserves to know why you are doing this.  She needs to know that you are naming her an heir with this ceremony, too.  She and Henry will be the next in line to your mother’s throne.  Neal would be after her.  Do you think that would bother her now that she is giving up her life for him?” Blue asked her.

“No, I don’t.  She would see it as fitting.  I think she knows something that we don’t.  I think that she knows how the hierarchy would be in enacted if we ended up going back to the Enchanted Forest.  I’ve studied history enough to know how ascension goes for royal families.”

“Meaning what?”

“Henry would become the High King.  Coraline or Remy would be the Queen of the Winterlands and Neal would be the King of the Summerlands.  They would answer to Henry, but still have autonomy over their respected kingdoms.  Our family would still reign,” Emma told her.

“Does that matter to you or Henry?”

“No.”

“Then, why should it matter to Coraline?” Blue asked her.

“Because it is her birthright.”

“And, it is yours, too, Princess…”


	57. Chapter 57

Emma walked back into the cell room with Regina.  She seemed a little out of sorts, but she didn’t want to upset Regina.  Blue’s discussion had awakened some feelings inside her that she wasn’t sure she was ready to face.  Some she had been fighting since she broke the Curse years ago.  She didn’t want to think about herself as a princess.  She was happy in the knowledge that Regina was queen and that was enough for her.  She didn’t need a title.  She was perfectly fine being the Sheriff or Regina’s knight.  She wasn’t a princess.  She never had been.  It didn’t matter that it was her birth rite. 

“You really shouldn’t think so loud, Swan.  It might hurt your Charming brain.  Now come over here and tell me what’s wrong,” Regina demanded.

Emma looked over at Regina.  The beautiful brunette was now lounging on a sort of bed couch.  Emma was sure that there was a technical name for it, but she didn’t care.  The cream colored cushions were thick and look very comfortable.  The darker accent pillows in the corner of the queen sized couch bed matched the dark mahogany of Regina’s eyes.  She saw Regina curled up in the corner of the lounger bed, tucked under a conjured blanket from home, and reading a book.  She looked at peace, but Emma could see the well-hidden turmoil in her face. 

Regina looked up from her position.  She put the book down on the side rail of the bed that had a mocked surrounding headboard and bookshelf in one.  She looked at home.  It was then that Emma noticed the stemless glass of wine in one of her hands and her black reading glasses in the other.  She looked spectacular.

“Emma?”

“Hi.”

“Hello, Dear.  I take it that your discussion with Blue didn’t go as you expected.  What did she say to you, Emma?  You look like a beaten dog,” Regina remarked.

“She said that she would do it.”

“Then what is bothering you?”

“Do you honestly want to marry me?”

“Where did that come from?”

“Do you honestly want to be with me?” Emma asked her again.

“Yes, Emma, I do.”

“Would you care if Remy was a bastard?”

“No.”

“Would the people care when it came to her being an heir?”

“I don’t know.  She would be your daughter, just as Henry is your son.  I am sure that they would overlook the part about us not being married.  It wouldn’t matter if we named her heir apparent.  But, that would actually only matter if we were in the Enchanted Forest, which we aren’t.  So, what are you asking me about this?” Regina questioned and sat up on her knees on the bed.

Emma took a step towards the bed, but she didn’t make a point to sit down or go to Regina.  She just stood there dumbly and looked down at the Queen.  Even in the magically bound room and in a pair of jeans and one of Emma’s T-shirts, Regina looked more at peace than she had in days.  Emma was envious.  She felt Regina move across the bed on her knees to be nearer to her.

“Emma, sit down and tell me what’s wrong.”

Emma sat down on the edge of the bed, close to one of the bookcase sides.  She leaned onto the wood as she felt Regina getting closer.  When Regina enveloped her in her arms, Emma leaned back into the embrace and melted into her lover.

“Emma…”

“I am scared.”

“Of what?”

“Losing you and Henry.”

“Is that why you want to get married?”

“Yes…no…maybe.”

“Which is it, Swan?” Regina asked mockingly stern.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“I want to marry you because I love you.”

“But, there are more reasons?” Regina inquired.

“Yes.”

“Like?”

“I don’t want Remy to grow up without both of us.”

“Being married doesn’t guarantee that.”

“I know that.”

“Are you afraid that we haven’t won?”

“Yes.”

“And, marrying me is going to make that better?” Regina asked.

“I don’t know, maybe…yes.”

Regina got back on her knees.  She gently pulled Emma back across the bed until they were in the corner again.  She got settled and then pulled Emma down between her legs so that her back was resting against Regina’s chest.  As soon as Emma was in place, she dropped her head backwards and rested it on Regina’s shoulder.

“Emma…talk to me.  You were so ready to get married earlier.  What changed?”

“Blue made me think.”

“And, thinking is a bad thing.”

“No, she just made me see how selfish I’m being.  Henry is the male heir of the first born heir and crown princess of Snow and David.  His legitimacy won’t be contested, but Remy’s could.  I don’t want anyone to question that she is ours.  I love you.  You are my True Love and I would do anything for you.  I hope you know that, but I wonder if I’ve pushed you into this marriage without proper reasoning.  I don’t want you to feel obligated into marrying me,” Emma told her.

“I don’t.”

“You don’t?”

“No, Emma, I don’t.  I love you.  While you were with Blue, I was speaking with Tink.”

“Then who’s with Coraline?”

“Nova, Belle and Red, she’s fine.  But, Tink made me realize that I didn’t need to be afraid of marriage.  You are not your grandfather.  You actually love me.  You aren’t with me because of your child and you want trophy on your arm.  You want me for me.  You’ve proven your love for me over and over again.  You’ve given me two beautiful children.  And, I know that everything that you do is for our family, Emma.  You’ve always tried to provide the best outcome for our family regardless of what it might mean for you,” Regina explained.

“But what if it isn’t enough?”

“That is a risk that we all have to take.  We have learned to trust our love and damn your parents, but they have proven time and time again that with love anything is possible.  They set the example and damn them if they weren’t right.  We’ve proven that with our love we can do anything, too.  We rescued Henry from Pan. We stopped Pan.  We fought the Darkness and survived.  We will get through this…together.  Married or not, you are my partner for life.”

“You mean that?  Like really mean it?”

“Yes, Emma, I do.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too, Dear.”

“I asked Blue for a hand fasting.”

“And, she agreed?”

“She did.”

“That Moth surprises me more and more today.  She has been supporting us since Coraline got to town.  Blue has her own reasons, and I may never understand them or agree with them.  If you’ll have me, Emma, I will be bound to you forever.  I would be honored,” Regina told her.

Regina reached down and laced her fingers with Emma’s.  They held hands and relaxed into each other.  Each soaking in the quiet strength of the other, they melded into each other.  Regina could finally feel Emma relax.  She rubbed arm with her free hand and heard Emma mewl in her ear.  It just made her hold onto Emma tighter.

Emma just turned her head and nuzzled into Regina.  She settled into the warmth she found there and started absentmindedly kissed Regina’s throat.  Regina moaned a little and pulled Emma further into her, not that she had room to do it.  The kisses became more insistent and deeper.

“Emma…”

She didn’t stop.  She nipped a little.  Regina leaned her head away to give Emma more access.

“Emma…” she moaned again.

Emma didn’t stop.  When Regina realized what Emma needed, she let go of her hand.  Emma whimpered at the loss of the connection until she felt Regina’s hand slide up under her trademark tank top.  Emma moaned as Regina’s hand made contact with her skin. 

As she felt the heat from Regina’s hands burning into her skin, she kissed her neck harder.  She nipped at the skin beneath her lips and she felt Regina’ slight moan there.  Emma had to laugh a little bit, but she didn’t stop kissing.

“What’s so funny?” Regina asked her as she started to gain her senses.

“I love you.”

“And, that’s funny?”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Then why are you laughing?” Regina questioned.

“Because I enjoy you.”

“You enjoy me?”

“In many different ways,” Emma added.

“And, that’s funny?”

“No, you make me happy.”

“I would hope so, Dear.”

“Do I make you happy?” Emma asked her.

“Immensely,” Regina told her as she turned her head to kiss Emma.

Emma moaned into their kiss.  She realized a little too late that Regina hadn’t moved her hand from under her shirt.  She felt the heat spreading from Regina was touching to further down her body.  Her core was on fire and she squirmed a little, still in Regina’s grasp.

With one hand Regina pulled Emma back further into her and with the other, she raked up Emma’s torso.  She heard Emma’s gasp.  She knew that Emma wasn’t afraid of a little rough loving, but she didn’t want to be rough.  She soothed the skin beneath her hands. 

As she continued to kiss Emma, she let her hands wander up her torso.  She found both of Emma’s breasts.  She cupped them and tweaked them through the satin bra that Emma was wearing.  Emma moaned.  It was Regina’s turn to giggle slightly.

“Okay, what’s so funny?”

“I understand what you are saying now.  I love you, too, Emma.  I love you so much.”

Regina didn’t have time to say anything else because Emma had recaptured her mouth in a soul searing kiss.  Emma tongued at her lips begging for entrance and Regina allowed her to deepen the kiss.  All thought left them except thoughts about each other and the moment they were sharing.  Somewhere in the deep logical recesses of Regina’s mind, she knew that they both needed this.  They needed each other and they needed to express that need.

Regina suddenly felt the need for more.  She pulled down the satin and lace that were holding Emma’s bosom.  She wanted to tear it from her body, but she wasn’t in a position to do that, yet.  She pulled it away and her hands found Emma’s hardened nipples quickly.  Emma whimpered at the contact, but she could tell that Regina wanted more.  She sat forward just a little, and to Regina’s dismay.  Once she felt like there was enough room between them, she pulled her tank top off and removed her bra.  Regina smiled, but was a little disappointed that she hadn’t gotten to remove the satin and lace.  Now naked from the waist up, Emma sat back in between her legs and melted into her body again.

Regina squeezed and molded her hands against Emma’s breasts.  Emma moaned and dropped her head onto Regina’s shoulder again.  Her breath played against Regina’s ears and each whimpered moan only served to turn Regina on more.  Holding on to Emma, Regina touched her body.  Exploring it from a new angle, she could believe the sight.  Emma reached out and placed her hands on Regina’s thighs.  She squeezed and touched every inch of skin that she could. 

“Baby…” Emma moaned out.

“I’ve got you, Dear.”

Emma mewled.  She was enjoying the sharpness of Regina’s nails as they raked against her skin.  She was getting wetter with each pinch of her nipples.  She felt like she was going to coming out of her skin as Regina continued to stroke and fondle her chest and torso.  Regina molded her hands to Emma’s ribs. 

“’Gina…”

“What?”

“Touch me…”

“I am,” Regina replied.

“You know what I mean,” Emma hissed.

Regina did.  She knew exactly what Emma needed.  She needed to feel the love of another human so close to her that her heart might explode.  It was the only thing that Regina could think about sometimes when they were together.  She couldn’t explain the feeling in words.  Words couldn’t explain the feelings that they had together, naked, in bed, against a wall, against each other and touching each other’s soul.  Yes, she knew exactly what Emma needed in that moment.

Her hand slowly glided down Emma’s abs towards her jeans.  Her fingers deftly undid the button.  As soon as it was released, Emma unzipped the zipper.  She grabbed the hand that was toying with ab muscles and pulled to the hem of her jeans.  Regina didn’t need any other invitation.  Slowly, she inched her fingers under the waist of the jeans.  She was surprised to find no waistband for any underwear.  Emma must have thought she was hesitating, because she wrapped a single hand around Regina’s hand and pushed her further in her pants.

Her fingers found her heat easily.  Emma held onto her wrist as a single finger probed her folds.  A gasp escaped her lips as Regina’s finger found her clit.  Regina toyed with it.  She rubbed it, alternating pressure and frequency.  It drove Emma crazy.  She couldn’t get into a rhythm long enough in order for her to find her orgasm.

“Baby…” Emma whined.

“Shh…just enjoy,” Regina replied.

She tweaked her nipple with hand and her clit with the other.  Emma gasped and then moaned at the pressure.  Regina tried to move her hand further in Emma’s impossibly tight jeans, but she couldn’t get the angle she wanted.  Knowing that Emma was close and wanting to take her higher so many times before reality came crashing down again around them, Regina moved her other hand down from Emma’s breast to her hip. 

Regina wasn’t sure if Emma got the message.  She gripped her hip hard.  Her fingers were splayed against her warm pale skin as she clenched Emma’s hip and tried to force the jeans downwards.  Emma pushed herself up somewhat and started to help Regina get her jeans off.  The denim slowly made its way down Emma’s long pale legs.   

Regina huffed as she had to let go of Emma for her to fully take the jeans off.  Emma smiled as she removed them.  She was now fully naked.  When she came back to Regina, she wanted to face her, take her clothes off and make love to her, but Regina just shook her head.  So she resumed her position between Regina’s legs.  As soon as she was settled again, Regina’s hands were all over her body.  It was her fingers had been in pain without the feel of Emma beneath them.  She molded her hands back to Emma’s sides.  Rememorizing every inch of her body, Regina took her time, again, before she ran her hand down towards her core.

Her fingers skimmed over the wet folds, enjoying the feeling as she pushed through them.  Emma laid her head back against her shoulder again.  She didn’t even try to hold the cries and whimpers of pleasure in.  She let them out in full force, enjoying the freedom and the feelings that she was experiencing.  It was like Emma was an instrument that Regina was re-familiarizing herself with, she loved playing and had missed so dearly that words could not express the passion that the music she created with her hands. 

Regina soaked up every whimper, every moan, every plea that fell from Emma’s lips.  They were like a fine wine that she herself could only get drunk on and she planned on getting her fill.  She needed more.  She wanted to drown in Emma.  She needed to feel her beneath her lips, too. She reached up with one hand and held her head against her shoulder as she turned her head to feast upon her throat.  Emma moaned out and she could feel the vibrations against her lips.  She sighed as she continued to kiss her open mouth, laving her neck over and over again.

Finally, it wasn’t enough. She tore her mouth from Emma’s neck. She moved down towards her shoulder.  As her lips found the delicate and heated skin there, one hand meandered back up to Emma’s breasts.  She clamped down hard, pulling Emma’s body back into hers again.  In her vice grip, Regina molded every curve of their bodies together.  She snaked her other hand over Emma’s hip and into her folds.

Dipping and flicking, Regina toyed with her.  She needed to hear her.  When Emma’s frustration began to be vocalized with her whimpers, Regina took mercy on her and applied a heavier pressure on her clit.  Giving her just enough stimulation for the whimpers to turn back into moans, she didn’t relent.  When she got what she wanted, she went back to playing, always keeping Emma just on the edge without enough to fall over.

“Gods, how I love you,” Regina whispered, not realizing that she’d said it.

“I love you, too, Baby…”

“Emma…” she replied in warning.

“Please, ‘Gina…please…”

She knew why Emma was begging and she liked it.  She wondered how long Emma could actually last, but she knew that reality would come through the door at any minute.  She couldn’t have that.  She waved a hand and locked the door.  It would only unlock for magic and she was sure that Blue wasn’t going to force if she knew that both Emma and Regina were in there.  And even if she did, Regina would have enough time to “deal with the situation.”  She smiled.  She was so lost in Emma at the moment, but she could feel the pain and sadness starting to creep back in.  She began to hesitate in her ministrations and Emma could tell.

“Stay with me, Regina…love me….” She pleaded.

“I do, Dear.  I love you so damn much that it hurts sometimes.  Gods, Emma…do you know how beautiful you are?  Your beauty makes your mother look like a spinster.  Nothing pales in comparison to your beauty…your compassion…your never ending, unwavering, and imbecilic hope…and by the gods…your passion.  I’ve never felt something so raw…so vulnerable…so beautiful…so awesome that I want to drown in it every minute of every day like I do when I am with you.  You are everything that I wanted and more.  I didn’t know how lost I was until the day you told me you loved me…I was yours before that, but to know that you wanted me, too….”

“You are my Queen…” Emma replied.

She reached out with her hands.  She needed to feel Regina against her.  She whimpered when she realized that she couldn’t touch her the way she wanted, she needed.  She tried in vain, but Regina could feel her struggle. 

She let Emma go.  Emma grumbled at the maneuver until she felt Regina’s hands on her back.  She could feel her knuckles as they brushed against her skin.  She didn’t know what it meant until she felt Regina pull her back again.  As soon as her back felt Regina’s bare torso touch it, Emma let out a keening moan.  Regina returned to her shoulder with her lips, a hip with one hand and her core with the other.  Emma’s moan turned into a pleasured wail.

Her finger teased Emma.  Emma arched back into her.  Regina held her fast.  Finally after what seemed like hours to Emma, Regina gave her a little more.  She flexed her fingers against her core and Emma yelped.  Regina cocked an eyebrow at the sound and mentally filed that for later as she turned and kissed her deeply.

She brushed her tongue against Emma’s lips, tasting her and asking for more.  Emma smiled and opened her mouth allowing her to deepen the kiss.  Their tongues dueled for dominance, but neither of them cared who won.  It was merely an exploration of their admiration for one another.  Emma was getting drunk on what Regina was doing to her and Regina was getting high on Emma’s sounds and body.  It was perfect. 

As their kiss continued, she allowed her fingers more reign.  After her fingers found the proof of Emma’s wanting, Regina couldn’t hold back.  Emma was soaked and Regina buried two fingers quickly into her.  She leaned back into the cushioned head and side boards of the couch bed as she slowly set a pace.  The feeling of Emma’s body wrapped around her fingers drove her. 

Needing more in that moment but not wanting to change their positions, Regina brought her hand up to her mouth.  Emma growled at both the loss of kiss and loss of touch until her bright viridian eyes caught the sight before her.  Her pupils were completely blown as Regina tasted her essence on those fingers.  Emma tried to breath, but the look and moans that Regina were producing stole it.  She sucked in and clamped down on her legs, clenching her thighs, not thinking about how badly she could be bruising Regina in that moment.

“Emma…gods…” Regina moaned.

She pushed her hand deeper.  Burying her two middle fingers inside her to the knuckle, Regina titled her thumb up just enough to brush against her clit with each down stroke.  Emma bent in half.  Her body already overly sensitized from the teasing, she had no idea how she was holding on that long.  Every fiber in her being was screaming for release. 

Emma thought back to a day months ago.  It was a blissful day for them all.  They were happy, but she learned so much about the women in her life that she could never forget.  And, she had no idea why her mind went there now, but she didn’t care as long as Regina didn’t stop…ever.

 

_“Regina, it isn’t like that,” Will stated._

_“Then what is it like, Will?  Because I would really like to know.  Can you give me that?”_

_“I’m not really like Lestat, Regina and you know that.  But the only one that could find Eden with me would my Beauty because she is a princess like no other.  And, she’s just like her mother, another princess, too,” Will replied._

_Regina looked at her puzzled.  She didn’t catch the reference, but Will could tell that Emma did.  Emma shook her head at them both.  She couldn’t help but smile, but she knew that she would have to talk with Regina later.  She was sure that Regina would ask her what Will was talking about when they were alone and she didn’t feel out of place._

_“Should I call you, Christina Grey, instead of Lestat?  Or, would Anastasia be more appropriate?” Emma asked before stating, “Either way, I am not sure I want to know.  She is my daughter, too.   Remember?”_

_Will laughed.  Emma and she were sharing a private joke at Coraline and Regina’s expense.  Coraline scrunched up her face at the end of Emma’s comments, because she realized that Emma and Will were somehow discussing some sort of sexual reference using names they didn’t know.  When Emma and Will saw her face, they both laughed.  Regina just looked angrier at them for laughing._

_“No, Emma.  I think Regina would be a Grey before I would.”_

_Emma immediately stopped laughing.  She turned to Regina, mouth agape, and gave her a questioning look.  Regina seemed to have caught up a little bit by Will’s statements, but she still didn’t quite get the joke.  She gave a quick smirk and arched her eyebrow at Emma’s sudden blush._

_“Something the matter, Dear?” Regina asked her._

_“We’ll talk about that later,” Emma choked out._

_“Go on and have fun tonight, Coraline.  Don’t stay up too late.  We are meeting Ruby, Belle, and your Grams for breakfast at Granny’s in the morning.  We need to discuss the Blackness some more.  We need to compare notes on what we know and what you know.”_

_“I haven’t forgotten that, Mom.  Good night, Mom, Ma.  I’ll see you both there in the morning.”_

_Emma watched her leave.  She just stared after Coraline and Will.  They did look good together, but the information that Emma just heard from Will made her wonder about her daughter.  She was the perfect blend of Regina and Emma, but how far did that blend go, she wondered._

_“Do you care to explain the joke to me, now?” Regina asked._

_“What joke?”_

_“The joke that Will made at my expense.  You seemed to understand it perfectly.  Care to tell me what it was?  And, why when she turned your phrase back around, you suddenly got quiet?  Who is this Christina Grey?  And, why would it matter if Will used their name or not?” Regina asked her._

_“We are going to need lots of cider for this discussion.”_

_“You need a drink, now?” Regina questioned her._

_“Several,” Emma replied, moving into the study and pouring herself a glass from the decanter.  “I know that it seems really early for this, but once I explain it to you, you won’t be thinking that.  I can’t believe with as well read as you are that you didn’t catch the reference.  I’ll have to let you borrow my copies.”_

 

Emma felt her body bow upwards.  The knot in her stomach told her what was coming.  The white light in her eyes and the warmth building in her body only hinted at the ecstasy she was about to experience curtesy of Regina’s knowing hands.  God, how that woman could make her scream!  Internally she giggled at the faces Regina had made while reading the Fifty Shades Saga, but she was more concerned with how she reacted to Exit to Eden. 

Emma knew that played before, but tonight was different.  Regina’s touch was different.  There was no pain/pleasure threshold.  It was all too sweet and loving.  Emma was complaining, but she didn’t know how to deal with it once it was over.  She loved Regina, but she wondered if Regina was doing this more for her or herself.

Emma had gotten lost in thought and the coiled tension has lessened.  Regina must have felt it because she began to nip on her earlobe.  She knew what that would do to Emma and she succeeded in bringing Emma back to her and that room.  Emma sighed as she body began looking for her release again.  She arched and mewled.  There didn’t seem to be an end to Regina and a beginning to her in that moment.

And, the most glorious thing happened to her…. She came.  She felt from the top of her head to her toes and she reveled in it.  She felt the stress of the day leaving her as she was bathed in Regina’s love.  She realized then that there was nothing that they couldn’t do together; because she knew that together they were stronger.

It was in that moment that Emma needed to feel her.  She really needed to feel Regina against her.  It wasn’t enough that she was still leaning against her.  She wanted to feel Regina beneath her.  She needed to feel Regina beneath her.  She needed to make Regina feel how much she loved her, cherished her, needed her…

Emma spun around, catching Regina off guard.  As much as she enjoyed Regina holding her in her afterglow, Emma slowly lay down on top of her.  She met her dark eyes.  She could see how blown Regina’s pupils were and she smiled. 

“Emma?” Regina questioned looking up into her eyes.

“I love you,” Emma told her.

She bent down and kissed her.  She lightly nipped on Regina’s bottom lip.  She kissed her like there was no tomorrow.  The fervor and want were delicately spoken with each movement of her lips against Regina’s.  She could feel Regina’s moan vibrating through her mouth.  She smiled into the kiss and slowly tugged at her lip again.  Regina grabbed her back and dug her fingertips into the pliant flesh.  Emma struggled against the moan building inside her as she teased the corner of her mouth with her tongue.  When Regina sighed, breathing out, Emma plundered her mouth with her tongue.  She was telling Regina with her entire mouth how much Regina was hers.  She wasn’t trying to possess her.  She was worshiping the woman she loved.

“Emma…” Regina panted through kisses.

Emma’s hands found her hips.  She pulled Regina into her, crushing their bodies against each other.  She rejoiced in the feeling of Regina’s bare skin against her, but she knew that it wasn’t enough.  Her hands began the slow descent down Regina’s body. 

Emma was mentally mapping every inch of her skin.  She counted each rib with her fingers.  She felt each dimple in her skin.  She basked in every luxurious curve.  She felt the heat of Regina’s skin under her fingers and she sighed, her breath tickling the sensitive flesh of Regina’s neck.  She could feel Regina’s body respond to her touches.  The goosebumps giving her arousal away.

“Emma…I need to feel…” she started.

“You need to feel what, Love?” Emma asked her between kisses down her neck.

“More…more…more of you…” Regina stammered between each passionate soul-burning kiss.

Emma didn’t need to be told twice.  Her hands found their way to Regina’s pants and deftly undid them.  Seconds later they were on the floor, thrown over the top of the bed to parts of the room unknown.  And, Regina and Emma couldn’t care less.  The only thing that mattered was being close to each other, close as they could, and closer than they had ever been.

Regina began to wonder if they could ever be close enough to each other.  She wondered if this is what Snow and Charming felt when they were together.  She felt like she wasn’t hole without Emma and she wondered if Emma felt the same to her.  Her mind drifted to the hand fasting that Blue was going to officiate later.  She couldn’t help but ponder if it would really bind their souls together.  Would they actually be one?  Would she fuller because of it?

Emma sat back just enough.  She let her eyes wonder down the woman before her.  She saw Regina shutter.  She could help but think of how much she loved her.  She wondered if she would look at her later, in their marriage bed, with so much wonder and adoration.  She knew that she would never stop loving Regina.  There was just too much to love and new reasons every time they were together.  Ever smile Regina gave her, Emma fell deeper.

“Emma…”

She leaned forward and captured her lips, nibbling and teasing her mouth.  Her hands were secured to Regina’s hips, because somewhere in the back of Emma’s mind she was afraid that if she let go of her, Regina would be gone.  Lips and tongues danced against each other, learning and worshiping each other. 

Finally needing to feel Regina in the most intimate way she could, Emma moved across her hip and let her long fingers play in the pooling wetness.  Regina hissed in a breath at the contact.  Her eyes screwed shut as she keened out in pleasure.  Emma teased for only mere seconds.  Her need and her want to make Regina hers in every sense of the word over rode her sensibility.  She plunged into her, deeply, swiftly, and hard.  Regina bucked at the sensation and grabbed a hold of Emma again, pulling her down on top of her, skin to skin.

For once, Regina let her mind go blank as Emma took her to heights previously unknown.  Emma had been the first lover that she’d been with that could make her see the stars with her climax and she reveled in it, each and every time they made love. 

She opened her eyes and looked up into Emma’s jade eyes.  There was so much said in those orbs that Regina wanted to cry at the sheer, unadulterated passion that Emma had.  She reached up and brushed some of Emma’s hair behind her ear.  She ran her hand through the locks before resting at the back of her neck.  She slightly massaged the tense muscles there before bringing Emma back down for a kiss.

Emma for her part couldn’t stop her brain.  She was enjoying the warmth and the wetness of Regina’s core.  She felt like a princess every time they were together.  Regina was her queen and she would spend the rest of her life making sure that she knew that.  And, right now, that meant giving her a mind-numbing orgasm.  She began she scissor her fingers inside Regina. 

Regina reared up slightly from the new movement, but she found herself quickly.  Starting to move with the rhythm that Emma was giving her, she met Emma’s hand with her hips on each down stroke.  But, on every up stroke, she was gasping for breath as her thumb would brush against Regina’s hardened clitoris.  The movement was delicious for them both.

Regina could hear herself panting and for once, she didn’t care.  She wanted the fiery blonde and she wanted all of her.  Emma knew that Regina needed more.  She added another finger and turned her hand over.  Instead of scissoring with each plunge inwards, Emma began using a “come hither” motion.  Her thumb was glued to Regina’s budding pearl, rubbing with each caress.  She could feel all breath leave her.

Emma needed more.  She could see how close Regina was, but she wanted more.  She leaned down and lightly bit Regina’s breast.  Regina howled out in pleasure, both hands finding Emma’s head and holding her to her breast.  Emma suckled for a while, letting each flick of her tongue match the steady fondling of her womanhood.  Regina was flying high on ecstasy.

The wantonness in their voices could have been heard in another town, but they didn’t care.  They needed this.  They needed to feed their need for each other and revel in it.  They needed the intimate closeness that only they could give each other.  Both knowing how much it would scar everyone if they could see them in the moment, they needed more.

Emma pulled up just enough to move down Regina’s body.  She kissed between the valley of her breasts, nipping, sucking and licking her claim to Regina’s love and body.  Marking her Emma’s with each kiss, Emma shimmied down her sweat slickened and high loved body until she was between Regina’s thighs and looking at her beautiful body.  Her eyes raked up and down her body before settling in the most beautiful sight before her.

Emma felt like a wanderer in a desert that just found an oasis.  She was thirsty and she needed a drink.  Regina was the only think that could parch her thirst.  Tentatively, knowing how sensitive Regina had to be, she lightly ran her tongue through her folds.  Her fingers never stopped, though as she plunged her tongue inside. 

Regina came undone immediately.  She arched so hard Emma was afraid that she’d break her back from the angle.  She knew that Regina needed something more.  She needed that push that would shove her over the edge completely.  She continued moving her fingers until she found the elusive spot inside.  When she did, she began to stroke it in earnest.  Her lips wrapped around her bundle of nerves and she sucked, drinking in Regina’s wetness.  She didn’t realize that she was humming her approval and want until she felt her moving beneath her.  There was more that Emma could do and she knew it.  With her free hand, she reached up Regina’s body until she found a handful of breast.  She grasped it roughly and squeezed, alternately flicking the rock hard nipple with her fingers.  She knew that was what Regina needed.  Finally, she could feel the beginnings of Regina coming hard.  She was squeezing Emma’s fingers, pulling them further inside her.  She body was vibrating, preparing for the uncoiling of the wound tight pleasure that was coursing through her body. 

And, then she the most beautiful sound ever fall from Regina’s lip in an almost silent scream, “Emma…!”

Regina felt the release begin in her core and flow through out her body.  She cried out her passion to anyone and anything that would listen. Emma slowly stroked her back to reality and her body slumped against the mattress. 

She couldn’t stop the tears.  She turned her head away from Emma, not wanting her to see her like that.  She was ashamed.  She couldn’t understand why she was crying after feeling something so wonderful.  She felt stupid and for once, she couldn’t force her walls up.  It was like Emma had broken them all down and hid the stonework from her.

“Regina?” Emma asked as she slowly moved Regina’s head back to facing her.

Regina didn’t answer, still ashamed at herself.  She couldn’t understand why she felt so exposed but so loved at the same time.  She wondered if it was the magical room they were in.  She wanted to run away from Emma.  She wanted to hide as an unexpected wave of grief came over her.

“Baby?”

Regina couldn’t even be mad at her.  She tried to weakly smile, but couldn’t.  The tears kept coming, softly and slowly, but they kept coming.

“Regina?”

She could hear the worry and the passion in Emma’s voice.  This wasn’t fair.  She shouldn’t feel this happy and sad at the same time.  She didn’t like being this open and vulnerable. 

“Regina, love…please…tell me what’s wrong,” Emma begged of her.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?” Emma questioned.

“Don’t leave me…”

“Oh, Regina…” Emma stated, her heart breaking with Regina’s.

“I can’t lose you, too…” Regina stammered.

“You aren’t going to lose me, Love.  I will always be by your side.  You’ll see.  We’ll die on the same day…in each other’s arms…when we’re old and gray…surrounded by grandchildren.”

“Damn you, Charming Princess,” Regina muttered.

Emma laughed and held her closer.  She kissed Regina and then rolled them over so she could hold Regina until her fears were gone.  As the got comfortable, Emma waved her hand and a thick blanket covered them.  Regina smiled into her breast and snuggled deeper.

“I am not going anywhere, Regina.  You’re stuck with me.  I love you.”

“I love you, too, Emma,” Regina told her before drifting into a much needed sleep.


	58. Chapter 58

Ruby was pacing.  She knew that she didn’t have a lot of time before they would switch the hearts.  She hoped that Geppetto would be ready in time.  They were on a schedule and it had been accelerated somewhat, but Ruby hoped that there would still be enough time in order for them to get everything accomplished.  Time was no more their enemy than the Darkness.

She’d found Belle and Tink.  They were in Coraline’s room.  Coraline was sleeping.  Blue had come in to check on everyone.  She’d called Nova away but looked at the brokenness in Ruby’s eyes.  Red could tell that the fairy would be back to talk to her.

Belle had taken her hand as they watched Tink wave her wand over Coraline.  She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the darkness as it was pulled from her body.  Her thoughts were running through her head and the only thing that kept coming up was: Were they doing the right thing?  She wasn’t sure anymore.  The longer they waited the antsy she was getting.

“Where is Regina?”

“Still in the magical room with Emma,” Belle replied.

“They’ve been in there all afternoon.”

“They’ve been working through things.”

“What is there to work through?  Coraline is sick.  There is nothing we can do for her and we are going to bury her alive.  What is there to understand in that?

“She is their daughter,” Belle almost chided.

“And, she is as much ours as theirs,” Red countered.

“Not in this time line.  It doesn’t matter how much we love her, Red.  She isn’t our daughter.  She hasn’t been made from our flesh and blood.  Yes, she is your relation, but she isn’t ours.”

“We could take her away from here,” Red suggested.

“And, what?  Be on the run for the rest of lives?  The darkness inside her will consume her, Ruby.  Would you have us unleash that on the world?  Would you have your own sister and your goddaughter hunt you down like a common criminal?  What would we do with her outside of town?  How would we explain her abilities?” Belle asked her.

“I don’t know.”

“You wouldn’t remember her passed the town line anyway,” Tink told them.

Both brunettes looked up at the blond fairy.  Belle knew that she was right.  They didn’t know what awaited them outside the town line, but they knew that it could and mostly like would erase their memories.  Then what would they do? They wouldn’t even know why they were there.

“I don’t want to put her in that well.”

“You have to,” Tink urged.

“Why?” Red looked up at her with pleading eyes.

Tink sighed.  She didn’t know why any more than Blue did.  Coraline had requested it.  Few knew that and knew the truth of what was going to happen once Neal’s heart was put inside her.  They all knew the risks of having the Dark One without a heart and they could only hope that Coraline would hold on just long enough for them to switch them.

“She needs relief,” Belle told them.

“From what?”

“The Darkness.  She is the new Dark One, but she isn’t tethered to dagger.  She is free to do as she wishes with no one to command her.  And, because of that, she is the most dangerous one that any magical being or realm has ever known,” Belle tried to explain.

“But, Will could just kiss her…”

“She’s already given in to the darkness, Red.  She’s told you that herself.  She did to protect us all, but she is still fighting it.  We can’t give up on her.”

“Aren’t we though?  Aren’t we just giving up on her?  We are going to throw her down a godforsaken well.  How is that not giving up?” Ruby asked them.

“Because of the water in the well,” Coraline answered, waking to their conversation.

“I’ll come back later and draw some more out,” Tink said as she started for the door.

Coraline’s hand reached out and grabbed Tink’s wrist.  She held it firmly but too hard as to bruise.  With a slight tug, she pulled Tink back towards her pallet.

“Don’t.  Continue.  I need you to continued,” Coraline commanded and let go of her wrist.

Tink looked down in the swirling eyes of green and brown.  She merely nodded and raised her wand back over Coraline’s body.  She didn’t know if what they were doing was doing any good, but Coraline and Blue seemed to think so.  And, because of that, she would continue.  She would wave her wand and pull at the darkness until she was told to stop.  It was the one thing that she could do for them all. 

“There is nothing that I can say that it is going to make this better, Ruby.  I know that.  I…I wish I could stay, but I can’t trust myself to be here with all of you.  I love you all and that is why I must do this.  I know you don’t like.  I know that I have given you the hardest things to do, but it is because I know that you can do them without much reservation that I have asked you to do them,” Coraline explained.

“That doesn’t make it any easier,” Ruby replied.

“I know that.  But, do you know why I chose the well?  Besides hoping that I would be able to open a portal in it.  It is because of the water.”

“Lake Nostros,” Ruby mumbled.

“Yes, exactly.  And, do you know why that water is important?”

“No,” Ruby lamented.

“Because it has the power to return lost things,” Belle stated.

“Yes, Belle, exactly.  It has the power to return what has been lost.  In other words, it will help me heal and control the anger and hatred.  It will help me return the light that the darkness is so wickedly snuffing out within me.  It will help me survive this curse and come home.”

“But the potion…”

“It will be for you own good, Ruby and you know it.  Belle will do it for you.  I have asked too much of you and I see that now.  She will stand beside you when no one else will, remember that.  She is the one you go to when you feel yourself breaking apart.  She can handle it.  I promise.  I will come back to you.  I promise that I will.  Nothing will keep me from my family. Nothing.  I will find a way back, and at first, like it was here, you might not know who I am, but that won’t matter because we are family and blood never forgets.  I love you both.  We will be together again and I am sure that you will challenge me about it, Ruby,” Coraline said.

“I don’t want to forget you,” Ruby told her, tears forming in her eyes.

“You have to, Red. You can’t carry the burden on your heart.  You won’t be able to move on and protect Remy if you don’t.  I will survive this.  I will find my way back.  You’ll see.  You’ll see.”

It was too much for Ruby to bear.  She stood and left the cloister room.  Coraline was not surprised to see her go.  She was a little surprised that Belle didn’t immediately follow her.  She knew that Belle had gone to her earlier, but she wondered if she knew that Red needed some time before she went to her again.  Coraline knew how riled up Red could get.  She’d never dealt with Ruby really.  Belle knew both and loved both.

“She’ll be fine, Coraline,” Belle told her.

“How long will you wait?”

“An hour or so, then I’ll go find her,” Belle replied.

“Belle…”

“Don’t, Coraline.  Just don’t.  We’ll deal with everything once you’re gone.  I’ve known how to deal with the Dark One for years.  We’ll find a way to move on, but you’ve already thought of that, remember?” Belle asked her.

“Are you sure that you can do that?”

“Yes, Coraline, I can.  I will do it because I understand the need for it.  Do I like the idea for doing it, no, I don’t.  But, I’ll do it because it will be the best thing for us to do in order to move on.  You’re right about Remy not knowing what happened in her once upon a time future.”

Coraline just nodded her head.  She knew that Belle was upset, but there wasn’t much that they could do to stop the inevitable.  She couldn’t give them proof that she would be back.  She could only give them hope.  Then, she was going to take their memories.  In a town where not knowing why things were happening because their memories had been taken, Coraline was about to do it again.  She knew that Belle had to be wondering about the justification, but she knew that she would do it.  Belle was her ally in this craziness.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, Coraline.  You promise that you will find a way back to us and you keep it.  That is all I want from you.  Give me that and I’ll do whatever you ask of me,” Belle told her.

“I will, Belle.  I swear it.  I will find a way back.  No matter how long it takes, I will find a way back to prove to you that I did.  I will find you again, Belle,” Coraline promised.

“Good.  Get some rest.  I’ll go find Ruby now.”

Coraline nodded at her again.  She got comfortable on the bed.  Belle waited until she was asleep to leave.  Tink sat there and watched them.  When Belle left, she went back to wand waving.

 

Snow and Charming were in their room watching Neal sleep.  She knew that they would be switching their hearts later.  She didn’t know exactly when, but she knew that it would either be later tonight or early in the morning.  She’d seen the worry on Blue’s face when she’d come in to check on them early. 

“Do you think that Emma will survive this?” Snow asked Charming.

“She’s a trooper.”

“I know that, Charming.  But, do you think that she’ll bounce back from this?  She’s losing her daughter to save her little brother.”

“She is but she isn’t.  It would have been no different if she’d come back to save us and then died while you were pregnant.  She has to think passed the fact that Coraline is dying to save Neal.  She has to think about the baby growing inside of Regina and how she is going to take care of her.  She has to think like a mother and not a victim.  She can’t let this hold her back from loving Remy.  She can’t let this alter how she is going to raise her knowing that Coraline’s life has been cut short in order to stop the Darkness from destroying our family,” Charming told her.

“I know that.  I’ve told her that.  I don’t know if she can do that.”

“Can you support her through this?”

“Yes,” Snow replied.

“Then, she’ll get through it.  We just have to be there for her.  We don’t give up in this family.  We aren’t going to give up on Emma or her family.  We aren’t going to give up on Neal.  And, we definitely aren’t going to give up on Coraline either.”

“What do you mean?” Snow asked him.

“I think more there is more going on than she wants to tell us.  Why else do you think that Red and Belle have been coming and going so much?  Regina has been locked in that room for most of the day, why?  There has to be more than we know going on and for right now, that’s fine.  I’ll let it go for now because for whatever reason they need to keep it a secret.  We have to trust them and what they are doing,” Charming told her.

“You aren’t the least bit curious?”

“Oh, I am, but I know that Emma has enough to worry about.  I have to trust her.  She’s our daughter.  She’s the Saviour.  I have to hope and believe that she has a plan and when she needs us, she’ll come to us for help,” Charming relied.

Snow thought about what he was saying.  He was right.  Emma would always try to do it her way before she asked for help.  She just hoped that it wasn’t going to cause any issues later that they couldn’t stop.  Then, she thought about it a little more. 

“But, Emma isn’t the one planning,” Snow muttered.

“What?”

“Coraline is the one calling the shots.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Coraline is the one that has been telling us what to do.  She came back here to stop the Darkness and now she has supposedly done it.  But, she is sick with it.  She took it in herself to protect us and save Neal.  She is giving Neal her heart and taking his half heart.  She has been the one calling all the shots about this mission since she got here,” Snow stated.

“So, you want to go talk to her, now?”

“No, I am just stating that Coraline is really in charge.  Regina and Emma are doing as she asked.  So are Belle and Red.  They are doing what they need to do.  You’re right.  We have to trust them.  We have to believe that whatever actions they take are for the betterment of our family.”

“Do you doubt that Regina would do any less?” Charming asked her.

“No…I know she wouldn’t.  She would be the first with a sword in her hand leading the attack.  She would do anything for her family, which includes us by default.”

“Does that bother you?”

“No, I would rather Regina be on my side than against us.  She isn’t someone that I want to piss off.  If she wants to hurt, she’ll find a way.  She wants to save Coraline.  I know that.  I don’t have to believe it, because I know that she would do anything for her children, like any mother would.  She has Emma on her side.  We all get through this, Charming.  I am not going let this break our family.  This is only going to make us stronger,” Snow told him.

“It will.”

Blue knocked gently on the door.  She waited for Snow or Charming to acknowledge her presence.  Snow opened the door and let her in the room.  She seemed surprised to see Blue but she didn’t say anything about it.  She merely stepped aside.

“Charming, Snow,” Blue said as she greeted them.

“Blue,” Charming replied.

“What brings you?” Snow asked her.

“I need to speak with the both of you about something…important,” Blue told them.

Snow ushered her to an empty chair.  She watched as the head fairy took the seat and looked over at Snow and Charming.  She didn’t look upset and forlorn.  She actually looked happy.

“What?”

“Emma has come to me.”

“About?” Snow asked suddenly concerned.

“It seems that she wants to marry Regina.”

“I can’t say that I did see that coming,” Charming replied.

“There is more though, right?” Snow questioned.

“Yes.  Emma has asked me to perform a hand fasting for them.  Tonight.”

“Tonight?” Snow asked.  “Why tonight?  Why so soon?”

“She wants Coraline to know that they were married when she is born.”

“That is what she is worried about?” Charming asked.

“I am not sure.  That is what she told me.  She wants Coraline to know that her parents love her and that they were in love when she was born.  She loves Regina completely and she is afraid, too.  I understand that she is the embodiment of pure love, but she worries about it so much.  I think she is afraid of what is going to happen.  She needs this to feel better about what Coraline is going to do to save Neal.  It doesn’t matter to me.  Regina has agreed to marry her and they are each other’s True Love.  That is enough for me.”

“They do love each other,” Snow murmured.

“What do you need from us?” Charming inquired, not questioning the validity of Blue’s statements.  He seemed genuinely concerned with Emma’s well-being and her mentally at the moment.  Like Blue, he wondered what need was pushing Emma into the ceremony, but he wouldn’t let that stop him from supporting her and her love for Regina.  He would stand with them if needed.  He would never abandon his daughter again.  Once was enough.

“I think that you might want to talk to Emma.  We aren’t talking a normal marriage contract between royals, which of course we are going to need because they are both princesses, but this is a joining of their souls.  This would make them one, similarly to the way you are now because you share a heart.  It is a magical bonding and one that only they can take because of their magic.  I know that they will survive whatever trials they face together.  I have no doubt in that.”

“I will stand with her,” Charming told them.

“And, what about Regina?  Who will stand with her?  Tink?” Snow asked.

“I don’t know.  You’d have to ask Regina that.  I am sure that she and Emma are discussing what they want to happen.  I need to go find Red and Tink.  I need to make sure that I have everything in place so that we can do the ceremony tonight,” Blue told them.

“What about Neal?  How much longer can he hang on with his half heart?  What about the exchange?  When is that going to happen?”

“Calm down, Snow.  Tink, Nova and I are watching Coraline closely.  We have time.  Neal is safe.  Neal has nothing to worry about right now.  It is Coraline that I am worried about, but we have diligently been taking care of the Darkness inside.  It isn’t a cure-all but it is keeping it at bay and away from her heart.  Coraline and Neal will be alright.  Right now, I am more worried about Emma and Regina and their coming nuptials.  I need to go for now.  I’ll be back later to check in on Neal and Coraline.  Go talk with your daughter, Snow.  She needs you now,” Blue explained as she left them alone again.

Charming watched her.  He didn’t know what she as thinking, but he could see that she was thinking about something hard.  He figured it was about Emma and Neal.  He would stand up for Emma and be by her side if she asked.  He wanted to help his son, too.  If helping Emma could help Neal, then Charming would do it.  He didn’t care about politics in the moment.  He was worried about his children.

He knew even though Emma was focused on trying to save Coraline, she would be devastated if Neal died.  Emma loved her little brother.  She loved her family and she would do anything for them.  This ceremony and allowing, even if it was begrudgingly, Coraline to give up her heart were proof of that.  Emma would do anything for the love of her family.

“I’ll go find Emma,” he stated standing.

“If you see Regina, will you send her to me?” Snow asked.

He nodded at her.  He knew that Regina and Snow had been getting closer and he could only hope that Emma and Regina’s marriage would bring them closer.  He knew that she never stopped loving her step-mother, but they were more like sisters now.  They loved each other.  They just had a strange way of showing it.  Their entire relationship had been brought about by grief and he hoped that the loss of Coraline would give them the closer they needed to move on. 

He turned back to Snow and watched her.  She was still staring at Neal.  He was sleeping thanks to the spells that the fairies had cast over him.  He had no idea what was really going on around him and Charming was happy for that.  He would never need to know the pain and suffering that his family went through in order to save him.

He left the room in search of his daughter and her lover.  He hoped that they could get a happy ending out of this.  They had all spent too much time fighting.  Coraline’s death didn’t seem like a win to him, but he would still stand by his daughter.  She needed something good to happen in her life and he owed her.  He would always owe her.  She saved them all from the Curse and what had gotten in payment for that?  A job, almost lost her son, lost her first love, lost her second love, lost and found her best friend, almost lost her again, and now she was fighting for her daughter’s life, to love the woman she wanted and to protect the town again from an outside threat that they didn’t fully understand…yeah, she’d paid enough.  It was their turn…

 

Emma woke up.  She was still wrapped up in Regina with a smile on her face.  They were going to get to married.  She was ridiculously happy about it.  For once, she felt like something was going in her direction.  She wondered what Blue meant about it being a merging of their souls, but she didn’t let that bother her too much.  It couldn’t be bad when Regina agree to it.  She knew that the older woman had to know what the difference was between a normal wedding and a magical hand fasting.  If she had some qualm with it, surely, Regina would have voiced it.  That in itself was enough to make Emma happy.  The fact that she was sated from their afternoon of love making helped, too.

She felt Regina stirring beneath her.  She tried not to move.  She didn’t want to disturb her.

She looked down at the brunette.  She was beautiful.  There was something about her that Emma couldn’t shake and she didn’t want to.  She was everything that Emma wanted and needed in a mate.  She was also the mother of her child. 

Emma couldn’t help it.  Every time she thought about Regina being pregnant, she rubbed her belly if she was close enough.  She knew that Regina wasn’t really showing too much yet, but she felt this innate need to protect the life growing inside her.  And, every time she touched Regina’s stomach with reverence for the daughter growing there, Emma’s thoughts drifted to Coraline and her anger would start to rise.

“Stop, Love,” Regina whispered against her shoulder.

Emma smiled into her forehead and kissed her.  She should have known that Regina was awake, too.  She was such a light sleeper most of the time.  She only seemed to sleep deeply when Emma was with her.  Emma filed that away for later, wondering if she should ask her fiancée if the nightmares were back because of everything that was happening with Coraline. 

“You think out loud too much,” Regina told her.

Emma giggled slightly and kissed her forehead again.  Regina lifted her head, looking down into her bright green eyes.  Emma found her hand against her chest and linked their fingers.  She didn’t want to let her go.  She needed the subtle strength and the visible power that Regina gave her.  Regina shifted on top of her, holding herself up over Emma, and continuing to stare down into her eyes.  Finally, not able to stop herself, Regina kissed her full pink lips.

“Mmm…” Emma moaned against her mouth.

“I like waking up to you like this,” Regina murmured breaking the kiss.

“Me, too.”

“We should get up, though.”

“I don’t want to leave this room,” Emma whined.

“I know, Dear, but we have to face the truth outside this room.  We can’t stay hold up here.  It isn’t becoming or fitting for either of us.  I know that pain is the only thing that awaits us out there, but we need to face.  And, we’ll face it together.  We can do anything if we are together.”

“Who’s the sappy one now?”

“You tell anyone that you are turning me into a Charming in more than name only and I will end you,” Regina teased her.

“What would the townsfolk say?” Emma asked her sarcastically.

“I know.  What would they say?  I love you, Emma.”

“I love you, too, my Queen.”

Emma wrapped her arms around her and pulled her closer.  Still unwilling to let her go, she kissed the side of her neck.  Regina gave into Emma, indulging her need for the closeness, and the feelings that Emma’s love gave her.  After so many years of wondering if she deserved a love like Emma gave her, she felt that she did in her arms.

“Do we really have to get up?” Emma asked against her neck, stilling kissing her.

“If you want to get married tonight, yes, we do,” Regina countered.

Emma pulled away and looked into her fierce dark eyes.  She saw nothing but love and truth in them.  There might have been a faint swirl of lavender magic, but Emma knew it wasn’t bad.  She held Regina tighter against her.  Their eyes danced.

“Well, when you put it like that, we should get a move on,” Emma told her.

“In a hurry now are we?”

“I can’t wait to make you mine and me be yours forever, Regina.”

Regina rolled them over so she was on the bottom.  She pulled Emma down on top of her.  She loved the delicious weight that Emma’s body had when she skin to skin, breast to breast, body to body with her.  She couldn’t describe it.  It was something she craved and now she craved it even more so now that she was pregnant.  Being bonded to Emma was only going to make the need of being naked with her in bed more prevalent. 

“I love you so much, Emma,” Regina told her again with tears in her eyes

“Don’t cry, Regina.  I love you, too.  I love being this close to you, but you said we needed to get up.  I know that I don’t want to get up, but our daughter needs us.”

“Are you going to tell her?” Regina asked.

“Yeah, I’ll go tell her what we are doing.  I am sure that she’ll want to be part of the ceremony.  I love you so much, Regina.  I’m going to get up.  You stay in here as long as you want.  I’ll be back before we have the ceremony.  If you need anything, I’ll be in Coraline’s room,” Emma told her, giving her a squeeze and rolling her back to her back and kissing her senseless.

“Go, Emma, before I don’t let you,” Regina stated.

Emma laughed at her.  She smiled as she gracefully dismounted the mattress and found her clothes.  She could feel Regina’s eyes watching her as she got dressed.  Once she was completely redressed and had fingered her hair, she bent over and kissed Regina.  She smiled again at the love of her life before heading towards the door to the magical room.  She looked back and saw Regina smiling at her as she left. 

Her heart wasn’t as heavy, but she knew that Regina would hold her up when she couldn’t hold herself up.  And, she would do the same for Regina.  They were a pair.  They were strong apart, but they were stronger together.  And they would remain stronger because they would be bonded together with the hand fasting ceremony. 

She stepped out into the hallway.  She was immediately greeted by her father.  He was walking around the corridors looking for someone.  Emma wondered if it was her.  She didn’t have to wait very long before Charming called her name.  She smiled at her father and replied to him.

“What’s up, Dad?” she asked him as he finally came to stop in front of her.

“Blue told us about the ceremony.”

“She did?”

“Yes, she did.  I came to talk to you about it.  I figured that you would want to talk to me some.”

“About it?” Emma asked.

“Well…yeah,” Charming stated.

“I don’t know how much you can help me, David.  You and Snow haven’t had a hand fasting.  I know y’all are married and all, but it isn’t the same,” Emma told him.

“Maybe not a hand fasting but we share a heart.  That’s almost the same thing in a non-magical but magical sense.  But, that isn’t what I meant about talking to me before the ceremony.  I was wondering if there was anything that you wanted to ask me,” Charming said.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, kiddo.  Anything.  Your mother and I have been married for a while.  We know each other really well and we love each other completely.  But, I know that marriages take a lot of work and compromising.  But, I also know something about marrying royalty.  Regina is still technically a queen in her own right and she was born a princess,” Charming told her.

“So am I,” Emma countered with a little bit of sarcasm.

“Yes, you are, Emma, but we both know that you hate the title and the responsibility that comes with it.  Almost as much as I do, but I love your mother and I would do anything for her.  I learned to become a king by watching her, not doing as George did all the time and actually by listening to some of the advisors that Regina lost during the war.  She wasn’t a bad queen.  She just wanted your mother’s head on a platter,” Charming quipped.

“True.”

“I don’t think that we need to have the discussion about what happens on your wedding night, considering you’ve already had Henry and now Regina is pregnant as well,” Charming added.

“Well, I suppose not,” Emma replied trying not to laugh at her father’s blushing predicament.

“Have you even researched the ceremony?” Charming asked her.

“I have.”

“Do you need a second?”

Emma looked at him strangely.  She hadn’t thought about it.  She had done the research, but she was leaving the ceremony for the most part up to Blue.  She hadn’t looked into all the finer intricacies that ceremony might entail.  She just wanted to belong to Regina and vice versa.  She saw this as that chance.

“You didn’t look, did you?” he asked noticing the sheepish grin on her face.

“Not really.  I just looked to see what it would entail.  I love her and I want to be bound to her.  I thought that this way it would make our magic stronger.  I didn’t look past that,” Emma stated.

“But, you were smart enough to go to Blue for help?”

“Yes, well, she is the only one that could do the binding.”

“She didn’t talk to you about the ceremony, though?” Charming questioned.

“No, she told me that she needed to handle some things.  I told her that I would talk to Regina.  She only agreed to do the ceremony because I told her that Regina agreed to do it.  I think she had to confirm that with her, but beyond that I was leaving it up to Blue.  I mean the only thing that I required was that we did it in front of Coraline,” Emma explained.

“She told us that much,” David replied.

“I want her to know that we were happy when she was born, that we love her with everything that we are and that we would do anything for her, Dad.  I don’t want her growing up like I did.  I don’t want her questioning whether or not her parents loved her.  That is a burden that no child should bear,” Emma stated.

Charming hung his head.  He knew it would always be a sore point with Emma, but he had hoped that they were getting passed it.  It didn’t seem like it, but he knew that they were…just really slowly.  The more time he spent with Emma and Henry, the more he could see her opening up, not only to him but to the rest of the world.  Regina was a big part of that.  She had been forcing Emma to see her parents and encouraging them to hang out and do stuff even when Emma was mad at them.  He owed Regina for that.  She was a big reason that Emma was trying to have a relationship with her parents. 

“Look, Emma.  I know that Regina is the right person for you.  She loves you.  She cares for you.  And, she does make you stronger in ways that your mother and I are proud of.  She gives you something that I can’t and never could.  She completes you.  She makes you feel whole, here,” he told her beating his chest over his heart, “And, no one would stand in the way of that.  I know your mother and I won’t.  Besides if we tried, Henry would beat us to a bloody pulp.”

“He might,” Emma replied sarcastically.

“But, I want you to know that your mother and I will stand with you and support you every step of the way, through you marriage and hand fasting to Regina, to being the best grandparents that we can be to your children, to helping you out by listening whenever you and Regina have a fight.  And, yes, you will have fights…mostly over stupid things, but it will happen,” he told her.

“I am sure that we will,” Emma said.

“I want you to know that I will always be in your corner,” he stated.

“I know that, Dad.”

“I want to make sure that you know that.  So will your mother.  We are so proud of you, Emma.  You’ve come such a long way from the person we first met to who you are now.  You are a brilliant daughter and a brilliant mother.  I don’t think that there is a soul in Storybrooke who would say that have ever done anything for just yourself.  You are selfless, courageous, brave, strong, magical, and kind, but especially loving.  You get that from your mother.”

“I guess I do,” Emma replied with a chuckle.

“Anyway, we love you.”

“I love you, too, Dad,” she told him.

Blue came around the corner and saw them standing there talking.  She smiled at them both.  She was actually looking for them so she could ask them about the hand fasting.

“Good, you’re both here,” she told them.

“What’s up, Blue?” Emma asked her.

“I’ve found a ritual that will work for your ceremony.  I wanted to discuss it with the both of you.  I’ve done some assuming about it and I wanted to make sure that we are the same page for this.  Can you both come with me?” Blue questioned.

They both nodded.  Blue led them to her office.  As they sat down, Charming remembered that he was supposed to find Regina and send her to see Snow if he could.  He looked around the office quickly and then back at Emma.

“I forgot to do something.  I’ll be right back.  Talk about whatever you need.  You can just explain it to me when I get back.  I’ll only be a minute or two, I hope,” Charming told them.

Blue just nodded, but Emma gave him a quizzical look.  She didn’t ask him what his task was.  She just assumed it was something that Snow had asked him to do.  She knew how her father could sometimes get sidetracked about things when he gets excited.  And, he was definitely seemed to be really excited about it.

“So…” Emma started to say when David was gone.

“I have a question and it is a simple one, really.  The ceremony was easy enough for me to find.  And, I am sure that you will agree with the wording and the workings of it, Princess.  The crux of the matter is that you both need seconds to stand beside you for the ritual.  Much like a normal marriage, you will need someone to vouch for your intentions.  Coraline would not be an acceptable choice for either of you.  She is still filled with too much darkness at the moment and her word wouldn’t be trusted.  I know that this might be a huge decision for you, which is why I am telling you this now.  So you have time to seek someone out,” Blue explained.

“Do they have to have magic?” Emma asked her.

“No, child, they do not.”

“Then, it’s an easy choice.”

“Good, good.  I am glad that you have someone in mind.  Now, I will need Henry to help me in the ceremony.  He is going to be a big part of it, so I must ask that you not include him as your second, Emma.  It would be too hard on him,” Blue told her.

“That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Alright then, that’s good.  Now, do you want to complete the blood oath as well?  Or do you want to do a more modern hand fasting?”  Blue asked her.

“I…I don’t know.  Maybe, you should ask Regina.  It should be her decision.”

“As you wish, Princess.  I’ll see you in an hour or so and we can finalize everything.  Until then, maybe you should see your daughter or find your second.  I’ll meet you just outside Coraline’s room then.  Is that okay?” Blue questioned.

“Sounds perfect.”


	59. Chapter 59

Regina sat on the mattress and thought about everything that was going on in her life.  The strange thing was in thinking and seeing what was before, she was glad that there were no mirrors in the magical room.  She needed to see things for herself.  She didn’t need an aide; she needed her own eyes and thoughts. 

She lay back down, now fully dressed, and waited for someone to come for her.  She knew that they would as soon as Emma left the room.  They would have no choice.  They would need her for something, some question, some answer, just some thing, but she would be needed.  She would stop thinking and she would go.  It was what she did now.  She was a hero.  She helped.

There was a knock on the door.  She looked at it for a moment before she got up and went to it.  She knew that if it had been Emma or Blue, or even Red, they would have just come in.  She opened the door slowly and put her mayoral mask on as she did.  She was taken aback to see Charming on the other side of the door.

“Can we talk?” he asked her.

She smiled and took a step back.  She made a gesture with her hand for him to come in the room.  She wasn’t sure what he wanted, but she didn’t want to leave the room yet if she didn’t have to.  She was relishing in the comfort that the room was giving her.

“Come in,” she told him.

She waved her hands and a small table and chairs appeared.  He cocked an eyebrow at her and it reminded her so much of Emma that she almost laughed at him.  He nodded and took a seat, noticing the look on Regina’s face.  She sat down on the other chair and waited for him to talk.

“Emma told us about the hand fasting.”

“I am sure that she did.”

“Blue has even talked to us about it,” he told her.

“And, that is why you are darkening my door?” she asked him.

“No, not really.  Snow and I aren’t going to stand in the way.  We want to support you both.”

“So…?”

“I know that this ceremony is going to be small and very intimate.  I know that you will have an actual marriage ceremony later and I am sure that with Snow helping in the planning that it will be large and very…royal in stature.  But, that isn’t why I am here,” he explained.

“Then, why are you here?” she asked him.

“Snow asked me to come talk to you.”

“About?”

“She wants to talk to you, but she doesn’t want to leave Neal.  I am sure you know how that feels.  We understand why you are in this room.  Blue explained it to us, but Regina, we need you now.  We need to know that you are onboard with all of this.”

“You mean that want to be sure that I am not going to break and go all Evil Queen again.”

“Well, there is that, too, but no.  She worries about you, Regina.  You may not be her stepmother any more, but she still feels a connection to you.  She loves you and she cares what happens to you as much as she does for Emma.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Say that you will go speak with her about this.  She wants to know what your thoughts are about Emma’s need to have this ceremony.  Trust us.  We know that you love her.  We know that you wouldn’t agree to marry her if you didn’t want to.”

“That’s true.  I love her.  I want to marry her,” Regina stated.

“Well, I guess that is a good thing.  It would be a bad thing if you didn’t.  I am sure that I don’t have to give you the speech about hurting my daughter.  I am sure that Snow has already given you that one.  I wouldn’t dare step in her way, because we both know that whatever Snow wants she gets.  She loves you both.  Can I tell her that you are coming to talk to her?” he asked.

“Yes, David, tell her that I will be there soon.”

“Thank you.  I am sure that you don’t know what this means to her, but thank you.  I’ll let her know that you will be there soon,” Regina answered.

David smiled at her.  She returned it as she watched him leave.  Once he was out the door, she waved her hands and the room was bare again.  She paced the room for a few seconds, wondering what Snow really wanted with her.  Finally the suspense was too much for Regina and she exited the room.  She headed down the corridor to the rooms that held her daughter, and Snow and Neal.  She sighed and then knocked on the door.  She heard a faint answer and entered.  She smiled at the pixie haired brunette. 

“Regina,” Snow said in a greeting as she sat down in the other chair in the room.

She smiled at Snow.  She looked over at Neal.  He looked peaceful as he was resting in the bed.  She knew that the pain that he might have been suffering had been taken away by the fairies.  He didn’t look sick, but they all knew that his heart wouldn’t survive long.  Coraline had given them the warnings.  They both knew the risks. 

“He reminds me of Henry when he was that age,” Regina told her breaking the silence.

“He does?”

“They are related.  It would make sense that they would look similar.  But, I can see where Emma and Henry get some of their mannerisms.  I guess there are some things that even I can’t deny are very charming,” Regina answered with a little bit of sass.

Snow smiled and held back a giggle.  She reached over and took Regina’s hand.  Regina wasn’t as surprised as she could be by the action.  Snow had always been a very emotionally charged person.  She squeezed Snow’s hand back.

“She’s gonna heal him, right?” Snow asked, still staring at her son.

Regina wanted to scream.  She didn’t know what Snow wanted her to say.  Coraline was in another room fighting the darkness of the Dark One and protecting a heart that she was going to give to the ailing boy.  Yes, she was going to fucking save him, because that is what the damn Charming offspring do.  They save people.  They have been doing it since their father David saved Snow from the sleeping curse.

“Yes, Snow, she is.”

“I know that this is hard for you,” Snow started.

Regina resisted the urge to smack the woman.  Did she really just come in here to let Snow vent about how terrible her life was?  To hear how much pain she was suffering through?  Because Regina wasn’t sure that she would be able to handle it. 

“Regina?” Snow asked when she realized that she wasn’t listening.

“Yes, Snow?” she replied.

“I said that I know that this is hard for you.  I know that every time you look at Neal that you are going to see Coraline’s heart.  I can’t imagine what that is going to be like.”

“Neither can I,” Regina said honestly.

“But, even with that, you will still have your daughter, Regina.  You will still get to keep your child.  That has to be some sort of blessing in disguise, right?  I mean, you’re losing her as an adult to raise her as child.  You are getting a second chance because your daughter is giving it to you.  She came back to save us all, but mostly to make sure that you and Emma survived to raise her.  That has to count for something,” Snow explained.

And, it did, Regina thought to herself.  She absentmindedly rubbed her stomach again.  She noticed that she did that more now that the time was coming for her to let Coraline go.  She felt like she needed to feel the closeness that she got from being with her daughter.  She knew that Remy was growing inside her and that she was the same person as Coraline, but she also knew that they would grow up to be two different people. 

“It does in its own way,” Regina answered.

“You’re still losing her, though,” Snow replied.

“I am.”

“I get that, though.”

“I know you do.”

“Do you?  But, as fate would have it, you are losing her in the opposite of how I lost Emma.  You aren’t gaining an adult child twenty-eight years later.  You get to watch her grow into that woman that came back to save us, Regina.  You should be thankful for that much,” Snow added.

“Oh, I am, Snow.  I am.  I am very thankful that I even have a daughter, that I have found my True Love, finally, and that I have a possibility of having my happily ever after.  I do however find it strikingly ironic that it is all with your daughter,” Regina told her.

It was Snow’s turn to be quiet.  She knew that it was a blow that she would use over and over again.  Emma had chosen Regina in the end.  Snow would just have to deal with it and she was, in own little “Snow warped” way.  She smiled at her stepmother. 

“She really does love you,” Snow added like Regina still didn’t believe her.

“I know she does.”

“And, you must if you agreed to marry her.”

“I do, Snow.  I love her with my all.  I should have seen it coming though.  I should have known that she would be the one that finally conquered my heart and taught me how to love,” Regina started.  “But, I didn’t want to see it.  Do you know why?  Because I was comfortable.”

Snow turned at looked at her.  Like Emma, Snow could tell when Regina was lying and that was because Regina hardly ever lied to her.  Her hazel eyes searched those of Regina’s for some sort of falsehood but she couldn’t find any. 

“Comfortable?”

“In my own pain and misery.”

“But you had Henry…” Snow started.

“I did.  I do.  I still will.  He was the catalyst, Snow.  He is the one that taught me how to love.  It was a hard, long and very painful lesson.  But, he did in twelve years what no one else could.”

“And, what was that?”

“He loved me for me,” Regina replied.

“You gave him unconditional love from the time you got him, Regina.  You are his mother.  Of course he loves you.  He may have forgotten along the way what you’ve done for him, but in the end Henry will always be your son and he will always love you.  No matter how mad he gets with either your or Emma, he always worries and cares for you.  That is a child’s prerogative.”

“Are you still angry with me?” Regina asked her with a cocked eyebrow.

“No, I am not.”

“Well, I don’t know what to say to that.”

Snow laughed.  It wasn’t often that someone could make Regina speechless.  Regina smiled.

“Well, I know that isn’t what you want to talk about Snow.  What is it that you need?  Why did you send your husband for me?” Regina asked.

“I wanted to talk to you about the hand fasting,” Snow told her.

“What about it?”

“Are you planning to do the blood rite with it?”

“I don’t know honestly.  Would it bother you if we did?  To be honest, I haven’t talked to Emma about it since we agreed to do it.  I know that no matter what I will need a second to stand with me.  As for the ceremony, I believe that she was leaving the details up to Blue,” Regina told her.

“You don’t care?” Snow asked slightly bewildered by Regina’s answer.

“Oh, I care.  But, I love Emma.  I would do anything for her and she knows that now.  She is the one that feels the need to have a ceremony, Snow.  I will give her that.  If she wants to do the blood rite, then I will.  I am not afraid of her or our love.”

“But, after Daddy…”

“Your father was a good man to you.  I am sure that he was a loving husband to Ava, but he never was to me.  The institution of marriage isn’t something I feared or fear, Snow.  It was being in another loveless marriage because of politics.  I didn’t want that.  I also wouldn’t be marrying her if I didn’t love her.  Does that answer your question?” Regina inquired.

“It does, but it raises more,” Snow answered truthfully.

“Then ask away.  For now, I will willingly be at your mercy.  You have until Emma comes looking for me.  Do you think that you have enough time?” Regina asked sassily.

“I have no idea,” Snow replied with mirth in her voice.

“So, first question?”

“You say that you love Emma, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, I can see it.  You adore her.  You look at her like I look at Charming and she gives you the same look.  You’re more open with her than anyone else.  It reminds me of the woman I knew when I was younger.”

“Is there a question in there somewhere?”

“Does it bother you that you are so much older than her?”

Regina laughed.  It was full bodied and something that surprised herself.  She hadn’t expected that sort of question from Snow, but then again, she should have known better.  Snow was known for her off-the-wall theories and ideas.

“No, it doesn’t.  Should it?  Because of the Curse, she is older than you.  I am only a few years older than you.  Age is just a number, Snow.  You should know that.  Why would it matter that I am older than Emma when it comes to our marriage?  Your father was twice my age and then some when I married him, but that didn’t both you,” Regina quipped.

“I guess all that is true.  I think I am just having a hard time with it because you are my stepmother.  I will always see you as that.  But, you’re right.  Age is just a number.  This is my problem, not yours,” Snow stated looking down at the floor sheepishly.

“Snow…”

She looked up at Regina.  She could see the emotions in Regina’s eyes swirling.  There was so much that had been left unsaid between them for years.  Heartbreak, hatred, worry and the never ending need to care for one another had driven them, but they had never cleared the air.  It was like they had made a silent agreement to let it go and move on.  It didn’t matter than the pain of it all still ruled how they acted towards one another.

“Can you forgive me?” Snow whispered.

“Forgive you?  Forgive you for what, Snow?  What do you think that you have done?”

“It is my fault that you married my father.  If I hadn’t pushed so hard because you saved me….  If I hadn’t been such a brat of a child….  There is so much that I regret, so much that I wish we had done differently.  I think back on things and realize that I wish I’d had a sibling, some one that I could confide in and some one that would take care of me, teach me things that Daddy couldn’t because he just didn’t understand.  Does that make sense?  I don’t know.  I guess I just wanted a friend,” Snow told her.

“I understand that.  People don’t understand how lonely the life of royalty can be.  Don’t look at me like that.  I had Daniel for a while, yes, but he was the stable boy.  He wasn’t someone that I had on a regular basis.  He wasn’t someone that I could go to every time Mother got upset with me.  But, people forget that I am a Princess in my own right.  They believe that I am only royalty because I married your father.  That is how I became queen.  I would never rule my homeland.  My father was the fifth son of King Felix.  The likelihood of me ruling was secured when my uncles had sons.  Mother didn’t care.  She was determined to make me a queen.  She wanted power and wealth.  I guess it took me years to understand why she pushed so hard.  You were born into wealth, like your mother before you, like hers before her.  Cora wasn’t.  She was a miller’s daughter that fought to get out of poverty and landed a prince.  Only problem is that she gave up her heart for power.  She never loved my father.  She loved Rumple, but she didn’t think that his magic would give her what she wanted.  She gave up love for a crown and named Regina because she foretold that I would be queen one day.  Then, she made it happen, Snow.  I do not want to be her, Snow.  I never did.  I want love.  I want a family.  I want to share my life with people that I love and care for.  I don’t want magic or power to cloud my judgement.  It may have taken a thirty or so years, but I’ve finally grown up and out of my mother’s shadow.”

Snow smiled.  She understood exactly what Regina was saying.  She had always felt the shadow of her mother and father following her.  It is the one thing that drove her harder than any other. 

“I get that.  I have been so busy trying to emulate my parents and how they ruled the kingdom that I didn’t understand that I was destroying it.  It took me a long time to see what I had done wrong.  Am I sorry for all the grief that I caused?  Yes.  Would I have done it anyway?  Yes, but I want to believe that I would have gone about it in a different way.  I wish that I could change our past and make them both happy.  But, that complicates so many things in wishing for that.”

“Like?” Regina asked.

“You wouldn’t have found your soul mate.  Who knows who Emma would have grown up to be?  She might have been just as spoiled as I was.  We wouldn’t have Henry, because Emma would have never met Neal or Baelfire.  Things would be drastically different and I am not sure that I would like it.  We’ve come a long way, you and I,” Snow replied.

“We have.”

“I will be proud to call you my daughter,” Snow told her.

Regina’s eyes misted.  She hadn’t expected that.  Snow was actually welcoming her into the family.  They had really come a long way.  There was still so much left unsaid between them, but now, she knew that they could really get passed it. 

“I would be honored,” Regina stated.

Snow looked at her.  Hazel meeting Regina’s rich mahogany eyes as understanding passed between them.  Regina reached out to her first and waited for Snow to give her, her hand.  Snow looked down at the offered hand and took it.  There was something to be said about the physical connection between them, it was surprising and it was very karmic.  It was something that they could both understand and appreciate.

“Do you miss the Forest?” Snow asked her.

“Some days, I do.  Others, not so much.  This world has given us so many things while it denied us others.  But, I would have to say that I found myself here.  I am more comfortable here dealing with being mayor and taking care of Henry than I would be being a queen again.”

“Do you believe that somehow we will end up back there like Coraline says?”

“I have no doubt, but why and when, I don’t know.  I don’t think that she knows.  She told me that she was born there and not here.  So if the timeline holds true even though we will have contained the Darkness, we have a few months,” Regina told her.

“You aren’t worried about it?” Snow asked.

“I am terrified.  We don’t know what the Forest is like anymore.  I know that you and Emma were there in the parts that had been affected by my Curse, but what about the parts of the kingdoms that you didn’t see?  What about the neighboring kingdoms?  We saw what my sister did in her tenure in the Enchanted Forest.  We didn’t venture outside our kingdoms because there was no need.  Now what are supposed to do?  We’ve made lives for ourselves here.  We’ve made families.  We’ve learned to prosper together.”

“You don’t think that we will re-assimilate?”

“No, that’s what I am afraid of,” Regina replied.

“Why?”

“Who am I, Snow?”

“Regina, daughter of Prince Henry, son of King Felix of Rivera, Princess of Rivera.”

“While that much is true, I was never treated as a Princess of Rivera.  I was the daughter of the fifth son.  I was never going to amount to anything in the realm and Felix knew it.  He gave Mother some power and she ran with it all the way to your father.”

“I know.”

“She poisoned your mother.”

“I know.”

“She caused your horse to bolt so I would save you.”

“I know.”

“You were almost her daughter and not Ava’s,” Regina told her.

“Wait, what?”

“Your father and my mother had a past.  It wasn’t something that I am sure they would have shared with us.  It was too traumatic for my mother.  They were to be wed until he found out about Zelena.  Then he cast her aside, but she still got him.  It was just with me.  I didn’t know about it all then.  Hell, I didn’t know about after everything that happened between your father and me.  I didn’t know until Zelena showed up.  But, then again, you know that.”

“I do.”

Regina looked over at the dark haired boy and then again at his mother.  She felt for Snow.  She didn’t know how to comfort her.  She was losing her daughter.  Snow was trying to save her son.  They were both fighting for their family. 

“Snow?”

“Yes?”

“You know that I don’t blame you for any of this,” Regina told her.

“I … why not?”

“This isn’t your fault.  You didn’t cause this.  This is from another time, another life, and I know that it partially my fault.  If we had done things differently when we were younger…”

“We don’t know that, Regina.  We know that I was worried about Neal and that I went to the Dark One’s lair to find a cure.  I am the reason that your daughter is now the Dark One.  I have made my own granddaughter our enemy.  How can I not blame myself?”

“Snow…”

“No, Regina, no.  This is my fault.  I love my family and I know that I will do anything to protect it.  You would do the same.  But, I went to the one thing that I knew could also destroy us in order to save my son.  I created the Blackness.  I created the woman who your daughter became.  I created the Black Queen.  I created the landscape that Coraline grew up in, without you and Emma, with no family and without proper magical training.  She is my responsibility.  I created her and I will do anything to make sure that Remy…” Snow told her as she reached over to Regina’s still barely there showing pregnant belly, “Doesn’t become her.”

“I do, too,” Regina stated grabbing Snow’s hand and holding it against her. 

Snow got quiet.  She didn’t know what else to say.  There was so much that she could say, but then again she wouldn’t know where to start.  She was advocating for her own granddaughter’s destruction in order to save her son because of a technicality.  It was an epically huge and a vivaciously small technicality, but it was something that they couldn’t ignore.

“We need to do something for Coraline,” Snow suddenly stated.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know.  She came here to save us and she is going to die to do it.  There has to be something that we can do for her before that happens,” Snow told her.

“That is one of the reasons that Emma wants to have the ceremony with her,” Regina said.

“I know, but we need to do more.  She needs to know how much she is loved.  There has to be something…  She can’t just give up her heart and die, Regina.  She can’t do that.  There has to be something that she can do with the power of the Dark One to save herself.  There has to be.”

“She is afraid of what she will do once she becomes the Dark One completely,” Regina added.

“Why?”

“Because she is the daughter of True Love and the Evil Queen.  She is a blend of both light and dark magic and she hasn’t been trained on how to use them correctly.  She is walking time bomb of magic, throw in the absolute power of darkness and with her upbringing and her need for familial love and all HELL is going to break loose in Storybrooke.  She doesn’t want that.  None of us do.  She has been fighting the Darkness longer than we’ve known about.  She kept a lot of her history close to her heart and I understand that.  Emma understands that.  That is why we are both scared for Coraline.  She can consciously decide not to do the evil that the Darkness asks of her.  But until she has proven to herself that she won’t react with violence or magic, she won’t put this family in jeopardy.  She will seclude herself, die even, before she lets that happen.  Giving Neal her heart is a legacy that she can be proud of and she will know that she has completed the mission that she came her to do,” Regina explained hoping that Snow would understand how deeply Emma, Regina, and Coraline had thought out the situation.

Snow took her hand back.  She sat back in the chair and looked at her son.  She knew that Regina, Emma, and Coraline had spent many nights at the library with Belle.  Hell, they all had.  She knew that Regina wasn’t going to let Coraline go without a fight.  She’d heard the conversations between mother and daughter on what they would do if Coraline couldn’t go back to the future.  She would stay Coraline and Remy would be Remy.  It would hurt Regina in the long run but she was willing to keep her adult daughter and pretend that she was Belle’s little sister so that Remy never had to know about the heartache that Coraline had suffered.  It was a blissful wish that fate decided wasn’t good enough.

“Are we being punished?” Snow asked.

“For what?”

“Being in this land?  For what we did?  Are we being punished because we have found our happy ending when so many others haven’t?” Snow questioned.

“This world believes in Karma, Snow.  We don’t.  Things always happen for a reason.  We’ve tried to fight the fate of us being family and in the end, it always happens.  Do I think that we are being punished?  No, we aren’t.  Things happen that we can explain, Snow.  I am not going to sit here and believe that we are being punished.  I am just going to love my family and give them every ounce of love that I can.  I don’t want them to ever wonder if I love them,” Regina stated.

“They won’t.  We won’t let them.  I won’t allow it,” Snow added.

“Snow, besides all of this, was there something else that you needed to ask me or talk to me about?  I am not trying to be rude, but we’ve had this conversation before.  Nothing new has occurred between us.  We’ve tried to be friendlier to each other.  We’ve forgiven each other.  We are going to be family.  We need to focus on that and taking care of the town.”

“I agree with you.  We need to give them a unified front.  We need to present ourselves in such a way that the town feels comfortable with and will ensure their support.  We need to be together and act like we care about them.  We need to do this especially if we end up back in the Enchanted Forest.  Coraline stated that we were both equal queens there,” Snow said.

“I am sure that we will come to some resolution if it comes to that, Snow.  But, right now, I don’t want to think about that.  I want to deal with the issues that we are facing now.  Those being your son and my daughter.  Marrying Emma is a close second for me.”

“Close second?” Snow asked, turning to face her.

“Yes, to me marrying Emma is a done deal.  I don’t need to dwell on it.  I love her.  We are going to get married.  It is the next logical step in our relationship.  We are having a daughter.  So, we might have done things a little out of order, but I love her and I’m not willing to give her up.  So, marrying Emma to me is a given and not something that I have to think about much.”

“I am not asking you to,” Snow stated quickly.

“I know that, Snow.  But the future is the future.  We can worry about it in a while.  Just not today.  We’ve got time to make whatever preparations might be needed, but you’ve also got to understand that we are working with information that is now old and obsolete.  We don’t know what changes we’ve made already and how it affects us.  I think that we can plan for things, but we honestly don’t know what is coming,” Regina explained.

“That doesn’t worry you?”

“It frightens me, yes, but I can’t dwell on it or I’ll be more worried about what is going to happen than what is happening.”

“I get that.”

“Then, let’s deal with the problems that we know we have now and solve them.”

“Okay,” Snow replied.

Regina stood up.  She walked over to Neal’s side and looked down at him.  She reached out and brushed the dark brown hair out of his face.  Her face faltered somewhat.  She couldn’t help but think about Henry when she saw him lying there.  Her mind raced back to the day the Curse broke and Henry was in the hospital under the Sleeping Curse. 

Before she realized what she was doing, Snow was by her side.  She held Regina’s arm in her own.  She felt the emotions coming off of Regina in waves.  She understood them all.  She felt them too.

“He’s going to be fine,” Regina told her, leaning a little more into the smaller woman.

“I know.”

“You do?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Why?”

“Because he has you and Emma in his family,” Snow told her.

Blue was standing in the door way looking at them.  She wasn’t surprised at the sight of them together.  She knew that Regina and Snow would be more powerful together.  Regina had finally grown up and proven herself to the fairy.  She would help Snow do the same.  It didn’t matter how old they were, they still had some growing to do to the queens that they needed to be for their kingdoms and people.  She was just glad that they could do it together now.  Emma had been the best thing to happen to them.  She brought so many together.  She really was the Saviour of the Enchanted Forest.  She just didn’t know how deep that title really ran for her.

“I am sorry to interrupt.  I went to the room to find you, but you weren’t there.  I ran into to Charming.  He told me that you might be in here,” Blue told them.

Regina turned to face her.  She smiled at Blue.  She was glad that the fairy was now on her side.  She was surprised by the turn of events, but she wasn’t going to waste it while she had it.

“What did you need, Blue?” Regina asked her.

“I have a few questions that I need to ask you.”

Regina turned to look at Snow.  Blue smiled and nodded.  Regina understood the gesture.

Regina leaned over to Snow and whispered, “I’m not leaving.  I’ll just be right over there.  Give a few minutes to see what Blue needs and then we’ll finish talking or whatever you need.”

Snow smiled weakly at her stepmother.  She squeezed Regina’s hand when she took it.  Regina squeezed her hand back, before she slowly walked over to Blue.

“You’ve become close,” Blue stated and not in a questioning manner.

“We’ve come to terms, yes.  She isn’t that bad after all.  Besides she gave me Emma.”

“That she is.”

“What is it you need, Blue?” Regina questioned.

“The ceremony that Emma has chosen calls for seconds to be present.”

“And?” Regina inquired, cocking an eyebrow at Blue almost defiantly.

“You will need someone to stand with you.”

“Fine, I’ll ask Henry.”

“Can’t be him,” Blue stated.

“Why not?  He is my son.  Why can’t he have the job?”

“Because he is given Emma away since Charming is standing as her second,” Blue answered.

The scowl that had crossed Regina’s face faltered.  Their son was given one mother to the other.  She knew that it would mean a lot to both Emma and Henry with the symbolism of the action.  She was surprised that he hadn’t come to give her away to Emma, but it didn’t really matter.  She would be happy either way.

“Then, who is given me away?” Regina asked.

“Whomever you wish, but I assumed that it would Granny or Red,” Blue answered.

“Ah, that makes sense.”

“Who would you prefer?”

“Red,” Regina said quickly.

“And, for your second?”

Regina turned and looked over at Snow.  A small smile began to creep across her face.  She turned back to Blue and told her, “It’ll be Snow.”

“I’ll leave you to ask her then,” Blue said before she left them alone.

Regina turned around and walked back over to Snow.  She took her hand in her own and held it.  She needed to corporal feeling of closeness.  She needed something to hold on to so that she knew that she wasn’t stuck in some horrible nightmare. 

Snow gave her a pleading look.  She wished that she could just cure Neal’s deficiency but even with all the power that she had, she couldn’t.  She knew that if she could heal Neal’s half-heart then she could find another way to save Coraline.  In the end, that is was she wanted.  She wanted to save Coraline.  She wanted Emma, Henry and Coraline.

She ran her hand across her torso and held it, knowing that she was holding Remy instead.  Remy grew up to be Coraline, but the Remy she was carrying wouldn’t share the same fate.  She knew that meant that she was actually saving Coraline in that manner, but she was still conflicted about the entire thing. 

“What did she say?” Snow asked her.

“She told me that I need a second for the hand fasting.”

“Oh, I’m sure that Henry will be honored,” Snow told her.

“I am sure that he would if he wasn’t giving Emma away.”

“Then I am sure that Red or Granny would be happy to stand beside you,” Snow replied.

“I am sure they would, but Granny wants to officiate the official wedding when we have it.  And, Red being my only family will be the one to give me away.  Katherine would be next choice, but she doesn’t need to be here with all this drama.  She is still dealing with Frederick and their sons, Joseph and Richard,” Regina told her.

“Then who will you ask?” Snow questioned.

“I would be honored if you, Snow, would be my second as I marry your daughter.”


	60. Chapter 60

Coraline stood in front of a portrait in the hallway just outside the throne room.  She wanted to smile at it, but she found that she couldn’t.  At least, not fully.  She wasn’t in it.  Remy was in her place and the youngster’s dark hair and green eyes shone brightly through the art work.  She could admire the artist’s work, but she still felt hollow inside.

“It’s a beautiful portrait, don’t you think?” Will asked her as she neared Coraline.

“It is,” she said, clipped.

“Do I know you?” Will asked her.

“No, I’ve been away for a long time.  I’ve never met you.  I would have remembered,” Coraline told her with a cocking of her eyebrow, before she continued. “I’ve been in other realms for the most part.  I ran away young and learned to survive on my own.”

“Oh, and you’ve just come back here?”

“Yes, I tired of the last realm I was in.  There was too much…pain and suffering.  I decided to come home to see what I could do, but alas, I didn’t judge the passage of time correctly it seems,” Coraline explained to her.

Will cocked her head and watched her.  She knew that there was something about her that Will couldn’t place, but she was drawn to her.  She turned back to the portrait and then back at Coraline.  She could see some resemblance but a lot of the people in the Enchanted Forest were related.  Hell, she was related to Red.  They were cousins.  Maybe, Coraline was related somehow, too.  She’d ask Belle to look into it later.  She knew that Belle would be able to find out who Coraline really was, being that she was the realms historian and genealogist.

“How old is this portrait?  Can I ask that?  I don’t want to upset anyone by asking too many questions.  Is that okay?” Coraline asked breaking the silence between.

“It’s fine.  I believe that they had it painted not long after Remy was born.  Emma was a little upset that Snow and Charming didn’t make the first sitting, but the all managed to sit with the Court Artist per Regina’s request.  This is only portrait that Regina ever had commissioned.”

“Ever?”

“Yes, she something about needing to remember the good times and those they loved.”

“I see she added her father,” Coraline stated.

“You’ve met Prince Henry?”

“Once upon a time…”

 

Emma and Charming were in one room together.  He watched as his daughter paced.  He couldn’t tell if was because she was nervous about marrying Regina or if she was worried about Coraline.  He figured that it was a mixture of both.  He gave her a grin and let her continue to pace.  He didn’t see the need to stop her.  She needed to burn off this nervous energy before they had the hand fasting ceremony. 

“How can you be some calm right now?” Emma asked him.

“Because I am not the one getting married,” Charming replied.

Emma stopped pacing and looked at her father.  She had to grin at what he was saying.  He was right.  He didn’t need to be nervous.  He wasn’t the one getting married.  She was.

“Thank you for standing with me,” Emma told him.

“It is my honor, Emma.  You are my daughter and since Henry is giving you both away, it is the least that I can do.  Are you really that nervous?”

“About marrying her?”

“Yeah,” he stated.

“No, I am not.  I am not nervous about marrying her.  I am nervous about everything going smoothly.  I don’t want to mess this up.  I want this to be perfect for her.  I want it to be memorable enough that Coraline won’t ever wonder how much we love her or each other.”

“I am sure that everything will be fine, Emma.  She loves you.  Coraline loves you.  You are just cementing your love in the most magical way possible.  Everything will be fine.  I am sure that Coraline will love it,” Charming told her.

“But, will it be enough?”

“Enough for what?” Charming questioned.

His blue eyes now looked worried.  Why was she wondering if her hand fasting to Regina would be enough?  What was Emma actually planning by doing this?

“Is there something that you aren’t telling me?”

“No, I just want this to be everything that Regina wants.”

“Doesn’t she want that for you?”

“She does, but still…”

“Emma…”

“What?”

“What are you planning?” Charming asked her.

“I am not planning anything, Dad.  This is just going to be our hand fasting.  It will bond us magically through our True Love.  I am not planning anything.”

“Then what are you hoping for?”

“What do you mean?” Emma inquired, wondering why he was pushing so hard about it.

“I know that look.  Your mother has the same look.  What is it about the hand fasting that you aren’t telling anyone?  What do you hope to accomplish by doing it in Coraline’s room besides being magically connected to Regina?  Hmm?” Charming probed.

“I am hoping that the linking of our magic and the True Love bond that it makes will create some sort of positive energy in which we can direct to Coraline.”

“You’re hoping to destroy the Darkness with an act of Love?”

“Yes…” Emma barely whispered loud enough for him to hear.

His eyes went wide.  He knew that she loved Regina, but he also knew that she had the stubbornness of her mother.  He merely shook his head.  The marriage wasn’t going to be a farce, but she was doing it for the wrong reasons.  He wondered if Regina knew about this.

“Does Regina know?”

“Know what?” Emma asked him.

She pulled her head up and stared into his questioning eyes.  She wasn’t sure what he wanted to hear, but she wasn’t sure that he wanted know the truth to that question either.  She sighed.  She didn’t even tell Blue what she thought about the act of hand fasting doing for Coraline.  It was a long shot, but one that she was willing to take.  She wanted to marry Regina and really that was all that mattered.  She would be extra happy if in marrying Regina it somehow helped Coraline.

“The real reason behind this hand fasting?” Charming probed.

“That I love her?  Yes, she knows that.  We’ve proven that to each other time and time again.”

“No, the fact that you are hoping that this will somehow magically help Coraline.”

“It is a theory, Dad and not something that I expect to happen.  It is a long shot.  I am not sure that anything will happen except us becoming magically linked and connected on a more basic level.  If by some miracle something happens during our hand fasting, then so be it.  Is that what you want me to say?” Emma asked him.

“No, but I guess that is the only answer that you are going to give me, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to check on your mother and Regina,” he told her as he walked to the door.

“Dad,” Emma stated stopping him in the doorway.

“Yes?

“I do love her.”

“Oh, Emma, of that, I have no doubt.”

She just shook her head at him.  She knew that he wouldn’t betray her trust to Regina.  He might to Snow, but she doubted it at this point.  He was just worried that she was doing this for the wrong reasons and she could understand his concern.  She was his baby girl and she was getting married.  He wanted to make sure that she was doing this because she wanted to and because she loved Regina.  She knew that he was worried about Coraline, too.  She just hoped that he understood that she wasn’t doing the hand fasting for the sole purpose of helping Coraline.

She stood up and walked over the door.  She closed it and then sat back down in the hand-carved wooden chair that she had been sitting in earlier.  She bent over until her elbows were on her knees, her hands around her face and then she silently prayed. 

Internally she was laughing at herself.  She had never been one for higher powers due to the hardships that she had faced as a child.  How could she?  God had never given her parents.  All He had seemingly done for her was take things away.  She mused that if she was a God fearing woman that he was only giving her what she could handle and it made her stronger, but she wasn’t a God fearing woman.  She was a realist...that just happened to believe in magic. 

She had to laugh at herself about that, too.  She knew that magic didn’t exist outside of Storybrooke and other magical realms, but she had it and she could use it.  She had proof.  It didn’t matter that if she and Regina ever set foot outside the town limits that she wouldn’t be “whole” anymore.  She was a magical being, the product of True Love, the Saviour, mother to the Truest Believer, and mother to the newest Dark One. 

She sighed.  Life had never been easy and now it seemed that her pain was being transferred to her daughter.  Coraline was taking the brunt of unhappiness that should have been dealt to her family in equal measure and running with it.  Coraline owned it and she didn’t apologize for it.  She was definitely Emma’s daughter.  She smirked and sighed.  Her love for Regina wasn’t enough to save their daughter in the future.  Regina’s love for her wasn’t either.  She wondered if it would be enough now, while it was still in its infancy and while it’s most potent.

She didn’t have the answers.  She was still in the infant stages of her magic.  Hell, her own daughter knew more about magic than she did and she knew that she had no one to blame for that but herself. She would work on that.  She would restart lessons with Regina.  It wasn’t going to be a want anymore.  It was a necessity.  She needed to be able to defend her family.  She needed to fully embrace a magical life as well as royal warrior too.

“If there is anyone out there listening, please help us.  I can’t do this alone.  There is no way that I can.  I need help.  I know that I have the support of my family and my children.  I have the love of my life and soon she will be my wife, but I wonder if that is enough.  Am I enough for them?  I am supposed to be the great and wonderful Saviour and I can’t even save my own daughter from the Curse of Dark One. 

“Magic is supposed to help, but it is the reason that we are in this mess.  Magic corrupted a man and made him do things that I would never dream of doing.  In doing that, he cursed my family on more than one occasion.  How am I supposed to fight that?  How am I supposed to counteract that?  How am I supposed to know what to do?  I haven’t been trained in the full ways of magic.

“I need some help, but I don’t know where to go.  I don’t know who to ask.  I can’t do this on my own.  I can’t.  I just can’t….” Emma said aloud and fell off the chair.

Snow stood in the door way in awe.  She’d never seen Emma so struck or so…she didn’t even have the words for it.  She knew that Regina completed her daughter in the same way that she knew that Charming completed her.  This wasn’t something that Snow could fix on her own and she knew that she couldn’t try.  She would give Emma what she needed and how she needed it.  She’d figured out that the reason that Emma wanted the hand fasting in front of Coraline before they removed her heart to save Neal was in order for some of their magic to bleed over into Coraline.  She of course didn’t tell Regina this, but she figured that Regina understood the sentiment and the reasoning. 

She couldn’t blame Emma.  She would have done anything that she could to protect her family.  She had in the past.  She pulled all the darkness that could have darkened Emma’s soul out of her and put it in Maleficent’s egg, into Lily.  She was a mother.  She would do anything for her young, including leaving or killing.  Emma wouldn’t kill...not unless she deemed them an immediate threat to her family, like with Cruella.  Emma always sought the high road, the lighted way, and she hoped for the greater good in the outcome.  She didn’t walk a path of darkness.  She embodied the light and used her power of love to make things happen.

But, even Love needs help sometimes.  Snow’s heart was breaking for her family.  In what was supposed to be joyous time had become one the darkest that her family would fight and she was powerless to do anything.  She felt as helpless as her daughter.  But, she figured that they could find a way.  They weren’t quitters.  They never had been.  And, Snow wasn’t going to let the quit on Coraline now.  If Emma needed help, then damn it, she was going to find it for her.

“Then ask…” Snow told her, still in the door watching her grieving daughter.

Green eyes swept across the room in a fiery motion before landing on her mother.  Emma broke.  She couldn’t hold it in anymore.  She broke further.

Snow moved across the floor and grabbed her daughter.  They held on to each other.  Emma finally just cried on her mother’s shoulder.  It wasn’t healing and mending.  It was pure expulsion.  It was something they both needed.

“I don’t know how.”

“Just ask,” Snow stated again.

Emma leaned back and met her mother’s hazel eyes.  Snow just gave her a watery smile.  She reached out a hand towards Emma and Emma took it.

“Can we do this?”

“We can do anything that we put our mind to, Emma.  You should know that.  We don’t give up in this family no matter what.  And, yes, even your father and I have done some questionable things in order to protect this family.  Any true parent has.  You aren’t any different.”

“What if it doesn’t work?” Emma asked her.

“Then we keep trying and we never give up.  We will find a way.  We’ll save Coraline even if it takes us years.  We will find a way,” Snow told her.

Emma smiled.  There was a hope that only her mother could give her.  And, Emma knew that she could cling to it and hold on to it.  It gave her enough hope that she wasn’t going to lose her daughter.  She would find a way to get her back and keep her this time.  She didn’t care what age she was or what she had been through.  Coraline was her daughter and she was her mother.  It was the only thing that mattered.  She would do anything for her.

“I’m getting married,” Emma said, trying to dampen one emotion to feel another.

“I know.”

“I’m marrying Regina.”

“I know, darling.”

“We’re going to do the blood rite with it,” Emma told her.

“I figured as much.”

“You’re familiar with it?” Emma questioned.

“It wasn’t done often, but I have seen it.  I was mostly done with the forest dwelling folk more than royalty.  It was for more of a love matches than for royalty.”

“Then, you don’t object?”

“No, Emma, I don’t.  If you and Regina love each other, who am I to stand between you?  Emma, you love her and she loves you.  There is nothing else that matters.  Doing the blood rite with the hand fasting will have a more contractual effect.  You will both be binding yourself to each other.  Now, let’s go get you married and see if that act of True Love will help your daughter fight the darkness building inside her, shall we?” Snow told her.

 

Coraline stood in front of the portrait again.  Belle and Blue were behind her, just watching.  They weren’t sure if they should disturb her or not.  Belle had noted that Coraline had taken to wearing only blue, black and red while she was in the castle.  She’d only seen her in something more subdued when they went on a hunt earlier in the week.  Blue knew the reasoning behind the colors, but she still hadn’t told anyone who Coraline was really.  They were still under the assumption that she was a lost Vulcannonian like Will. 

“Should I tell her that I know?” Belle aske Blue.

“That you know what?” Blue inquired back.

“That I know who she is really,” Belle replied.

Blue looked at her.  She couldn’t see any deception in Belle’s sapphire eyes.  She was shocked, but then knowing Coraline, she shouldn’t be.  She should have known that Coraline had someone else to fall back on if she couldn’t find Blue.

“Do I want to know how?”

Belle just smiled at her.  She didn’t offer an answer right away.  She turned to study the portrait with Coraline.  Blue just watched her as she pondered what Belle meant with her statement.

Belle had seemed different to Blue.  She had become more assertive and more involved, but she just figured that it had to do with Belle and Red being together and all the time that she had been spending with Regina since before Remy’s birth.  But, she wondered if that was even true.  Belle and Regina had become best friends.  They understood each other on a level that no one else could.  It almost rivaled the friendship between Snow and Regina.

“Can I ask you a question?” Belle posed lo Coraline.

Coraline turned and faced her.  They locked eyes and smiled.  Coraline could see it in her face.  Belle remembered.  She knew the truth.  The magic that Coraline had performed just before she lost her heart had worked.  She couldn’t help the smirk that formed on her mouth. 

“Sure,” Coraline answered.

“Why do you stand here and stare at them all day?”

“I don’t know.”

Belle leaned into her, close enough to whisper.  Coraline didn’t know what to do with the closeness.  She started to lean away when Belle started to actually speak in a hushed whisper barely loud enough for her to hear.

“You may have forgotten what you did back in that room at the cloisters with the Sisters of Storybrooke, but I didn’t.  I’ve been waiting for you.  I never forgot.  I didn’t drink the potion.”

Coraline turned and looked at Belle.  The shock was evident on her face.  Belle just smiled at her and nodded when she saw the question in Coraline’s eyes.

“Did you forget what you told me?”

“No…never,” Coraline replied.

“I haven’t forgotten.  I’ve been wondering if I would see you again.  You haven’t aged, but then again that doesn’t surprise me too much having been married to the Dark One.”

“Does anyone else know?”

“No.  I haven’t told them.  I wouldn’t betray your confidence like that.  However Ruby smells that something is up, but she hasn’t questioned it yet.  She figures that as long as I am on your side, which I am, she should be too.  Will is another story.  She’s been researching the histories of Vulcannon, at least what I have.  She trying to catch you in the lie.”

“She’ll succeed.”

“I doubt that.  You are an obscure legend to the people of the Enchanted Forest.  Even if she does find proof that you are Vulcannonian, she won’t have anything to take to Regina but the stories that I have written about you,” Belle told her.

“Stories…legend?  What are you talking about?  What did you write?”

Belle looked at Blue, surprised.  She figured that the fairy queen would have given Coraline copies of the books to read so she would know.  She gave her a perplexed look, but shook it off and turned back to Coraline, letting a smile cross her face.

“After your entombment, I locked myself away until it was time to give the potion to the masses.  I wrote and wrote and wrote.  Ruby didn’t know what to do with me.  Regina told her that it was my way of dealing with your loss, but they honestly had no idea.  I took your journals and used make to read them.  I had to borrow a little help from Henry, Emma and Regina to do it, but I did it,” Belle stated.

“How?  Why?  What do they say?”

“I wrote about you.  I embellished just an enough, but I used the story in order to make their false memories seem real.  It is basically the story of a Vulcannonian sorceress, you, that came to Storybrooke to destroy the Darkness and the Dark One.  But, the mission wasn’t a complete success.  In destroying the Darkness, she took on the pains of the Dark One and instructed herself to be entombed in the Magic Well.  There the magic would help her and when she was needed again, she would come back to us.  Until such a day, the well would be hidden.”

“And, they bought that?”

“I hid the well with the magic you gave me.  Only you would be able to break that spell.  Which you did, by the way, during Wolf’s Time…Ruby brought Regina to it immediately.  I knew that you would be coming back.  I told Ruby that I needed to see Regina and now we are here.”

“She doesn’t know?”

“No.  But, Regina is wondering why I named our daughter bears the same name as you.  She forgot the tales.  To tell you the truth, everyone has.  It didn’t really seem to affect them that much so there wasn’t the need to remember,” Belle explained.

“You named your daughter after me?” Coraline asked.

“Her name is Danielle Coraline Lucas.  I named her after a hero and family friend.  No one else remembers what you did for us all.  I’ve read all of your histories.  They are tragic.  I wish that I could have done more for you,” Belle replied.

“You’ve done enough for me.  I am sure that you read about my upbringing.  I owe you so much for that.  I was a brat, but you still loved me.  You still took care of me.  You punished me when I needed it, but you also rewarded me as well.  You were a steady and constant presence in my life.  Don’t get me wrong, Ruby was wonderful but she was volatile.  You weren’t.  That is why you both work well together.”

“We do.”

“Can I meet her?”

“Meet who, dear?”

“Danielle,” Coraline stated.

“Of course, I’ll send word to Ruby to bring her tonight for the feast.”

“Feast?”

“Yes, Regina has agreed to take you on as a knight of the realm.  She’ll knight you and then we’ll feast.  It’s nothing really,” Belle told her shrugging it off.

“If you say so…”

“I do have a few questions for you, though, if I may?”

“Sure.”

“How old are you now?”

“Now?  Wow, I don’t know.  By the year, I’m three and half, I believe.  In actually time being alive, I am three hundred and fifty or somewhere around that,” Coraline answered.

“Three hundred and fifty…we’ll talk about your travels later.  I have so much more I want to ask you.  But, most important things first,” Belle started.

“Like what?”

“Are you going to tell Regina and Emma the truth?”

“I don’t know.”

“You want to though, right?”

“Of course, I do.  They are my mothers.  But, I don’t want to upset them either.  I have done so much, gone through so much, and fought so hard to become what I am now.  The Darkness doesn’t rule me.  Emma was right.  Their hand fasting saved me.  It just took time and me learning to love myself again for it to fully take root.  Time…I had plenty of it.”

“Do you want me to be with you when you tell them?”

“I don’t know.”

“Just let me know then.  I am and will always be here for you, Coraline.  All you have to do is ask,” Belle told her.

“I know, Aunt Belle,” Coraline told her with a big smile and the softest look on her face.

Blue watched the interaction between them.  She still couldn’t believe that Belle knew.  She hadn’t forgotten who Coraline was and she’d written Coraline’s history for them all to read.  Belle was truly a remarkable woman and most of the kingdoms would never know her greatness or her empathy.

“But, the potion?” Blue asked her joining their conversation.

“Thanks to the power...the magic that Coraline gave me, it wouldn’t affect mc.  I knew the moment that everyone forgot that I would be alone in my memories.  It didn’t bother me.  I was okay with it because of all the time that I’d spent as a prisoner of Rumple’s.  I only had my memories to keep me company then as well.  I knew that no one would understand.  I couldn’t tell anyone.  They wouldn’t have believed me anyway.  I knew that the magic and memories were a gift from my ward, my little sister, my niece, or my daughter, whatever she might actually be to me.  I was happy to have them.” Belle explained.

“Why?” Blue questioned.

“Because they gave me hope that Coraline would come home one day.  I held onto that and I was right.  It took her five years, but she is home,” Belle told her.

“What are we going to tell Regina?”

“For now, nothing.  I’m still trying to feel them out.  I don’t want to put any added pressure on them,” Coraline told them both.  

“Added pressure?  They are your mothers, Coraline.  They deserve to know,” Belle told her,

“I know that they do, Belle.  Trust me, I do.  But, they won’t understand.  Remy has taken my place, but she isn’t me.  We aren’t the same.  Something happened that day at the hand fasting.  I was blasted with more than just my mothers’ love.  I don’t know how else to explain it, but that must have had something to do with it.  I just need to prove myself to her.  Then she won’t be able to refuse the truth later.”

“I still think that you should just tell them.  Do it alone.  Ask for a private audience, and make sure that Will isn’t there.  She’ll just cause doubt and worry.  Seek them out alone.  It is the best option.” Belle said, touching Coraline on the arm and looking her in the eye.

Coraline knew from the look that Belle wasn’t going to let the topic drop completely.   She’d let it go for now, but she would be on Coraline to tell them the truth.   She would eventually have to break down and tell them everything.   She just hoped that Regina and Emma understood why.

“I’ll think about that.  Until then, we need just act normally.  We can’t let them know who I am.  It might upset things and that is not what I want.  I just want my family to be happy and healthy.”

“They are,” Belle told her.

“Then, I am happy.”

“Will you tell us more about that day?” Belle asked her giving her an out in the discussion.

“About the hand fasting?” Coraline asked.

“Yes, please,” Belle stated.

“If you wish, yes.  I will.  But, I think that this would be a discussion better had in closed quarters.  Not that I believe either of you would betray me.  It is just that castle walls tend to have ears in most of the common places.  Shall we go to my room or yours, Belle?” she asked.

“That sounds like a plan.  We still have to get you ready for the knighting.  I am sure that Regina will be sending a page to find you and present you the invitation.  You’ll need to look your best.  I know that you could do magic in the Court Hall, but I would refrain against it.”

“Mom might take it the wrong way,” Coraline stated more than asked.

“True.  I am sure that we can come up with something for you, though.  What all do you have in your little bag anyway?  I’ve seen you pull out various things in the short time that you’ve been here.  Don’t look at me like that.  Most of the things you’ve pulled out of that bag are too big to be in there.  So, what else do you have in there?” Belle asked as they started walking through the castle and back to Coraline’s guest quarters.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Coraline quipped as they walked.

Blue followed them.  She hadn’t left Coraline’s side since they had arrived at the castle.  She knew that it gave Regina and Emma the credence that they wanted in order to believe their story.  She didn’t want to lie to them any more than Coraline did, but she knew that Regina wouldn’t have believed her if she had just come in to Court telling her that Coraline was her daughter.  Regina would have laughed her out of the kingdom and called for Nova to take over the order. No, they would have to play it safe.  She’d sent word yesterday after she’d talked with Will about Coraline to Tink to come as soon as she could. Now they just had to wait it out and see what would happen once they told them truth.

They entered the room and quickly shut the heavy oak door.  Coraline invited Belle to join them at the small table that their quarters afforded them.  Regina had given them nice guest quarters in the Winter Palace, and they weren’t far from the rest of the family, but they had insisted that they share the quarters as they were both not used to so much room.  Blue allowed Coraline the bed, even though she didn’t use it most nights, as she slept in her fairy form in the sitting area of the rooms.  No one questioned the arrangement.  Besides it wasn’t often that Blue decided to pay them a visit.  Emma wasn’t going to allow Regina to spoil it with nonsense.  It also helped that Blue and Regina had come to an arrangement before the hand fasting and it was an arrangement that neither of them forgot even after the potion that Belle had given them all.

“Can I ask you a question about the potion, Belle?” Coraline asked her as she poured them some ale from the bottle that was on the table.

Belle took her glass willingly.  Blue just smiled and stared at it.  She held the chalice knowing that she couldn’t imbibe the alcohol.  Coraline and Belle might not know that, but she knew that Regina did.  She knew that Coraline and Belle didn’t know that, but Blue knew how to play along with the “Blue Bloods” now that she stayed large more often.  

“Blue?” Belle asked.

“I’m sorry?”

“I asked if you thought we should come up with a plan in order to tell Regina and Emma the truth about Coraline or if we should worry about the magic that Coraline gave me.”

“Belle…” Coraline started.

“Why would there be a problem with the magic that Coraline gave you?” Blue asked.

“There wasn’t, but you just seemed to fade out for a minute.  Are you alright?  Is something wrong?” Belle asked her.

“No, nothing is wrong that I can tell.  I sent word for Tink to come but I haven’t received a jingle from Nova back yet.  It isn’t like them to miss a missive that I’ve sent.  I am sure it is nothing.  If I don’t hear back from them by morning, I’ll go get her myself,” Blue told them.

“Sounds good, but are you sure that you should leave?”

“What harm would come of it?  You are going to be knighted later.  Regina would stand behind you no matter what after that.  Plus, she has come to respect my wisdom in certain matters.  She hasn’t openly questioned your loyalty to her or the kingdoms.  Snow and Charming are here.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t lay some sort of accolade on you as well.”

“I could as well,” Belle interjected.

“But, why would you do that?  I have no official titles here.  I am no one to them. Being knighted will be enough for me.  It is bad enough that they think that am Vulcannonian when I am not.  How will I explain that one away?  I don’t have a cloak,” Coraline stated.

“Yes, you do,” Belle told her.

“No, I don’t.”

“The resurrection cloak that you carry was Will’s cloak once upon a time…”

 

Will stood outside the Court Hall chambers staring at the portrait tapestry that had taken over Coraline’s attention the past few days.  She studied it…every inch, but she couldn’t find anything that would draw a Vulcannonians attention to it the way it did for Coraline.  She was also disturbed to hear that Coraline had met Regina’s father, the deceased Prince Henry of Rivera.  But, there was more to it.

There was just something about Coraline that drew her in.  She’d never felt like this before.  It troubled her so much that she’d gone to the library that Belle had helped Regina acquire and read up on everything she could find on Vulcannon.  She knew that there were other royal house, much less statured royal houses, but Coraline carried herself with an air of high born.  She admitted to the all as much, but Wilhelmina was having a hard time placing her into any of the royal families that she knew.  She never heard of the House of Gallia, but Belle had records of them dating back to before the Ogre Wars.

It seemed that the Gallia Family was newer royalty and mixed with the royal houses of the realm.  She didn’t know any of the royal houses of the Enchanted Forest outside of those of Snow, Charming and Regina.  Of course, Will knew that Belle was royalty in her own right which is why Regina gave her Rumple’s lands and let her form what became known as the Dark Kingdom or the Loupin Woods.  She had followed the trails back of Gallia Family to a human named Beau of Gallia.  The only problem was that Gallia no longer existed on any map that she could find.

“Gah…..why can’t I stop thinking about her?” Will asked herself.

She saw Belle, Blue and Coraline coming to view the portrait just moments before Coraline would be knighted.  She moved into the shadows and hid.  She knew that it was wrong but she wondered what the three of them were doing together.  There was something that they were all hiding.  She just didn’t understand why.

“Blue, can’t you convince her to tell Regina?” Belle asked her.

“If you can’t convince her, Belle, what makes you think that I can?”

“You are her Fairy Godmother after all,” Belle stated.

“I am one of them.  And, trust me when I say that neither, Tink nor I could convince her to tell Regina the truth.  She is stubborn just like her mother and she is loyal to a fault as well.”

“She is truly her mothers’ daughter, then,” Belle replied, but Will didn’t get the double meaning.

“Would you be quiet…please,” Coraline told them.

“What’s wrong?” Belle asked her, recognizing the face that she was giving them.

“Riders are coming.  Fast.  Two mounted knights from the Ulfland outpost.  One of them is injured and the other has no….” Coraline told them.

“Has no what?” Blue asked.

“He cut out the poor lad’s tongue,” Coraline said looking up into their horrified eyes.

“That’s two days ride from here.  Should I send Ruby to sniff it out?  Or, should we wait to hear what they have to say?” Belle asked her.

Now, that struck Will as odd.  Why would Belle turn to Coraline for advice on a military action before discussing it with Regina?  And, why would she offer up Ruby that quickly without some sort of knowledge as to who this Coraline Gallia was?  What weren’t they telling everyone?


	61. Chapter 61

Regina wasn’t surprised to see that Charming had joined her in Neal’s room.  He looked down at his son and then over at the former Evil Queen.  He gave her a slight smile and then sat down next to her.

“If you’re looking for Snow, I believe she went to see Emma,” Regina told him.

“I am not.”

“Are you looking for me?”

“No.  I just wanted to spend some time with my son.”

Regina nods.  She is nervous, and for more than one reason.  She can’t help but wonder what tonight will actually bring for them.  Yes, she was marrying Emma with the hand fasting ceremony, but there were still so many unanswered questions.  They didn’t know how to save Coraline, but they knew that saving Neal with her heart would stop her horrendous past from being a reality.  She couldn’t help if it was worth the cost and then she would rub her belly again.

“I am glad that Henry is walking you down the aisle,” Charming said interrupting her thoughts.

“I am, too.  He is my only family here.  I would have thought you’d walking Emma, though.”

“I’ll do that for the big production.  Are Belle and Ruby going to be there tonight?  Emma didn’t seem to be sure when I asked her,” Charming stated.

“I don’t know.  I should probably call my sister and ask her.  I am sure that she would be miffed if I didn’t tell her at least.  I should go do that.  Thanks for the chat, Charming.  Stay with your son.  If I see your wife or daughter, I’ll send them to you,” Regina told him as she stood up.

He just nodded.  They had been communicating with silent head nods for the past few weeks.  She didn’t know when it started, but it was a silent communication they both understood.

Regina left him in the room and dug out her cell phone.  She called Ruby and then realized that she hadn’t spoken with her little sister in some time.  She knew that she would have to bring her up to speed.  She just hoped that Ruby would be okay.  She was taking this hard as well, harder than Regina thought that she would.

“Hey…can we talk?...Well, tell Eugenia thanks for the food, but Red,…I understand that, but…yes, I get that and I know that you are hurting, too, Wolf Pup….That is why I want to talk with you…That’s fine.  Where are you?...Really?...Alright, I’ll be there in a few minutes…No, it isn’t anything bad.  I just need to talk to you….Okay, then, be safe,” Regina told her before ringing off.

She’d just put her phone away when she saw Emma coming towards her.  They gave each other a watery smile and tried to be happier than they were.  Emma didn’t ask her.  Instead, she just gathered Regina into a full-bodied hug and held her. 

“Where are you off to?” Emma asked as she buried her head near Regina’s ear.

“I am going to speak with Red.  In all the madness, I forget to talk to her about the hand fasting.  She is my little sister and she deserves to be there.”

“She does.  I am sorry.  I forgot too.  We’ve had other things on our minds, though.”

“We have.  Now, go get ready.  Talk with Coraline.  I’ll be back in an hour or so.”

“I love you,” Emma told her as she started to break the embrace.

“I love you, too, Dear,” Regina told her, gave her a kiss, and walked away.

Regina sniffed the damp fall air as she made her way across the parking lot of the Abbey.  She knew that Red was by the well and she could just poof there, but she didn’t want to upset the Wolf by doing that.  Instead, she poofed close to the well and walked up. 

She stood there and watched as Red was drilling holes into the top of the well and prepping rebar.  She was further along her project than Regina thought she’d be.  She shouldn’t have been too terribly surprised by that though.  She knew that Ruby liked to throw herself into projects to help her get passed her pain and emotions.  She didn’t even look up as Regina approached.

“So, what is so important?” Red asked setting down the drill and finally looking up at her.

“Emma and I are getting married.”

“Figured, but what does that have to do with anything right now?” Red questioned.

“We are having a hand fasting ceremony tonight.”

“Good for you two,” Red said as she bent over and grabbed another piece of rebar to place.

“I want you to be there.”

“Why?”

“You’re my family, Ruby.  You are my only family.  You are my blood.”

“No, I am not.  Coraline is of your blood.  Henry is still your son.”

“Red,” Regina said exasperatedly.

“What?  Do you want me to be happy for you?  Well, I am.  There.  Now your conscience has been assuaged.  I need to finish this.  I have to have it done by tomorrow, if you haven’t forgotten,” Red said watching Regina wince at her words.

Regina was taken aback, but she held her face well.  Too many years under her mother’s tutelage had taught her that.  She didn’t want to put up a front with her sister, but she felt it happening anyway.

“No, I forgotten that my daughter is dying and there is nothing that I can do about at.”

“Then, why have a wedding?” Red asked, but it was more of an accusation.

“Emma thinks that it will show Coraline how much we love her.”

“Of course she does,” Red mumbled, obviously distressed by one of her best friends need to be vindicated and loved in every action.  She knew in the back of her mind the Emma didn’t mean any harm.  In fact, Red was sure that there was more of an explanation to the situation, but it still seemed like poor planning and timing on Emma’s part.  She needed to feel loved because of the upbringing that she had and she didn’t want Coraline to be like her.  It was selfish. 

“Ruby...look, I know that timing isn’t ideal, but I would like for you and Belle to be there.  We want to give Coraline a united front.  We want her to know that she made a difference with her sacrifice.”

“I think she already knows that,” Red added.

“I am sure that she does, but we were going to get married anyway.  Besides, this isn’t some elaborate ceremony.  It is going to be small and in her room, so she can be there.”

“Does she know?”

“Emma is speaking with her now.”

“What about a big fancy ceremony?”

“I could care less about that.  I know that Snow will want Emma to have one and Emma will cave to her wishes.  I get that.  I want her to have it.  She deserves all that pomp and circumstance.  I owe her that much from all that I took from her because of the Curse.  But, we aren’t worried about that right now.  We are worried about Coraline and how we can help her.  Believe it or not, this might do that,” Regina stated.

“How?” Ruby asked her, selling down her tools, and giving her a look of complete disbelief.

“The power of True Love,” Regina answered simply.

Red stared at her for u moment.  It was so painfully obvious.  She knew what a hand fasting consisted of.  She hadn’t had the upbringing that Regina had.  She understood what the royals called the poor man’s wedding.  It was more intimate and less flashy, but it was still binding yourself to someone else for the purposes of marriage.  It just usually meant that there was love involved, too.  It could also be a business transaction.  Marriage was marriage no matter what the ceremony was called.  But, Red could be happy for her sister because she knew that this time Regina loved the person she was marrying and it was her choice.

“So, a hand fasting, you say,” Red finally replied.

“It was Emma’s idea.”

“I am sure it was,” Ruby said with an amused look on her face.

“We’re doing the blood ritual, too.”

“As you should.  If you are going to do it, you should do it right.  Did she ask you?”

“She did.”

“Was it romantic?”

“Not really,” Regina replied.

“Was it totally something that Emma would do though?”

“Yes.”

They both laughed.  Ruby came around the well and hugged her sister.  She was happy for Regina, but she knew that she was the more outwardly emotional showing of the two.  Regina was happy and she was sad, but she wouldn’t show it.  It hurt Ruby to know that, but she would be there.

“I’ll be there for you,” Red told her.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll ask Belle to meet me at the Abbey.”

“I have a question for you, if I may ask.”

“Something you want me to do?” Red asked her, giving her a look.

“Yes.”

“Then ask it.  You’ve never needed my permission before.  What is it?”

“I want you to be my maid of honor at the formal ceremony later.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you, Wolf Pup.”

“‘But, what about … okay, yeah, never mind.”

“What?” Regina asked her.

“Who is standing with you tonight, then?” Red asked.

“Snow,” Regina said without any hesitation or strong emotion.

“Really?” Ruby questioned, cocking an eyebrow at her older sister.

“I hadn’t really thought about it too much,” Regina said truthfully.

And, she hadn’t.  She had been thinking about Coraline and how she was going to deal with her loss tomorrow.  She had enough to deal with in her own mind without having to think about this hand fasting.  Emma told her that she would take care of everything and she had, except that one little tidbit.  She couldn’t blame Emma though.  She was also wrapped in Coraline’s condition.  She had hoped that Emma would have explained her thoughts on the matter before she went head first into it, but she knew that wasn’t how Emma operated.  She found a solution and went with it.  If that didn’t work, she’d just try again with a new solution.  The hand fasting was the newest solution in trying to save Coraline from the Darkness.  She loved Emma and she knew that Emma loved her.  They had agreed to get married before the baby was born, but this was almost madness.  But, she loved Emma and Coraline too much to stop it.  She had to try.

“Really?”

“We were in Neal’s room and talking.  We were discussing the hand fasting because Emma had already spoken with Charming and Snow.  She wanted to officially bury the hatchet.  We agreed to be friendly to each other.  I am about to be her daughter-in-law, so...it made sense to come to terms with everything between us,” Regina explained.

“And this led to you asking her to stand with you?”

“Yes, it was a gesture of good faith.  She jumped at the chance.  Charming is standing with Emma tonight and Henry is giving us away as it is.  It just made sense at the time.  I actually do care for her.  She isn’t as awful as I thought she was years ago.  She does have her moments.”

Red laughed with her again.  She had to admit that Emma was good for Regina.  She complimented her.  She challenged her and she most definitely would call her on her bullshit.  All in all, Red thought that it was poetic that Emma was her True Love and she couldn’t be happier for her older sister.  She smiled at Regina and it was genuinely a happy smile in such a tumultuous time. Emma had brought them back together again and helped them forge their relationship.  They both owed Emma so much.  Being at the hand fasting was something little.

Ruby picked up a rag and wiped her hands.  She looked at Regina again.  She nodded her head.  She knew what it took for Regina to put herself out there.  Add in the fact that she was trying harder with Snow, and Ruby wouldn’t deny her sister anything.  Now that it was in the open that they were related, people really didn’t seem to care.  They knew that Regina had changed. 

“I’ll get Belle.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll be there soon.  Let me just clean up here.  Now, go get ready for your girl,” Ruby teased her.

Regina smiled at her and nodded.  She walked back into the woods a little lighter.  She felt good.  Things were looking up.  She still couldn’t escape the cloud that hung over her and she knew that she wouldn’t, at least not until Remy was born, but things were definitely better for all of them.

 

Belle and Emma were sitting with Coraline when she got the call.  Belle excused herself and went outside the room to talk on the phone.  Emma gave her a weak smile.  She figured it was Ruby calling her. 

“That’s Ruby isn’t it?” Coraline asked Emma sitting up just a little in the bed.

“I’m sure it is.  But, how are you, kiddo?  Still okay?”

“I am as okay as I am going to be.”

“I have something that I need to tell you,” Emma told her.

“Well this doesn’t bode well for me, I presume…”

“No…yes…I mean it doesn’t really have…I’m explaining this badly.”

“Just tell me,” Coraline urged her.

“I’ve asked your mother to marry me.”

“I know.”

“We want it to be legit when you are born,” Emma told her dumbly.

“I get it.”

“But, that’s just it, you don’t.  I love you.  I love your mother.  I love Henry.  I want to have my family, the house, the picket fence, all of it.  I do.  So, I asked Regina to marry me.”

“Again, I know.  I am not stupid.  I know y’all get married.”

“We’re doing it tonight.”

“Now, that is surprising.  What about the big party and shindig that Snow throws for you?  How did you manage to get out that?  Because we both know that Grams is going to want a huge wedding for you,” Coraline told her.

“She is planning that, but we are going to wait for that one.”

“Wait?  What?  Why would you wait?”

“Because we are going to have a hand fasting…in here…with you…tonight,” Emma told her.

Coraline’s eyes started to flash green before they returned to their normal brown.  She was upset.  Far from it, she was elated.  She was going to see her mothers wed.

“Tonight?”

“Yes, we wanted to do it before you transferred your heart.”

“Wow.”

“Is that okay?”

“It’s fine.  It’s just…wow.  I am so happy for you.  I just…wow.”

“I think you’ve already said that a few times,” Emma added with a slight laugh.

“Yeah, I’m good.  I can’t wait to be there.  This is amazing.  This will be like the time you watched Grams and Gramps fall in love on the highway.  How many people can say that they watched their parents fall in love?  This is so dramatic and romantic.  Hell, yeah, I can’t wait.”

Emma smiled at her daughter.  She was a little surprised at how enthusiastic Coraline was, but then again, she shouldn’t be.  She was half her blood.  She couldn’t help but wonder if this was something that Coraline wanted.

“Ma, calm down.  You love Mom more than anything.  I love you both.  This is awesome.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” Coraline replied.

She sat up in the bed, staring deep into her mother’s green eyes.  She knew that there was something that Emma was hiding, but she didn’t want push it.  She figured the only reason that she would be hiding anything from her now was because they were still holding out hope that they could pull the Darkness out of her.  She knew that there wasn’t.  She was the Dark One and they all knew that there was only way to defeat the Darkness…death and a new host.

“Everyone will be soon,” Emma told her.

“Who all is coming?”

“Dad is standing with me.  Henry is giving us away.  Blue is officiating.  Snow will be there, too.  Your Mom went to get Ruby and Belle to make sure they’ll be there.  This is our family and it is just going to be us.  I wanted to be able to share this with you,” Emma told her.

“Thanks, Ma.  I appreciate it.  I wish that I would be able to see your actual wedding, but I am sure that I’ll grow up reading about it and seeing the pictures.”

“I love you, Kiddo,” Emma told her.

“I love you, too, Mama,” Coraline told her, slipping back to what she called Emma when she was a young girl in the Enchanted Forest.

Emma could see the meaning of the word in her daughter’s eyes.  She wanted to hold her and let her know that everything would be okay, but she knew that it wouldn’t be the truth.  She could only hope that everything would go the way they hoped, that Coraline would find some way to battle the Darkness and come back to them.

“Mama, don’t worry.  It’ll work itself out.  I’ll beat the Darkness.  I’ll survive this like I’ve survived everything else that has been thrown at me.  Just like you, Ma, I’ll make it.”

The emotions were high in the room.  No one wanted to disturb them, but they knew that everyone would be there soon for the hand fasting.  They continued to talk until Blue and Tink came in for another cleansing.  Emma didn’t leave her side then.  She stayed until Blue told her to go get ready.  Emma gave Coraline a kiss and went back to the room down the corridor that Blue had given her and Charming to use until the ceremony.  She found her father there waiting.

Charming smiled at her.  She gave him a smile in return, but she wondered if he had something else to talk to her about.  She didn’t want to talk.  She wanted to move forward.  She had Coraline’s blessing.  They needed to move.  Neal was waiting.

“Ready?” he asked her.

“Yes,” Emma replied quickly.

“I know that this isn’t the big wedding and all, but your mother and I decided that we needed to give you some things.  She has found that some of the traditions of this world coincide with ours.  She knows that you may not follow all the traditions and superstitions, but she wanted me to give you this,” Charming told her handing her a heavily brocaded, royal blue jacket.

“Whose is that?”

“It was mine once upon a time.”

“Something borrowed, something old, and something blue?” Emma asked.

“I believe that it does fill those three tenants, yes,” he replied.

She smiled and took the jacket.   It was a little too long and it was heavy.  She knew that she could alter it with magic.  He nodded at her as she waved her hands in front of it.  The cut changed to hit her form well.  She kept the length, appreciating the look that the three quarter length gave her body. 

“It suits you,” he stated.

She gave him a bigger smile.  She knew that he wasn’t going to press her to wear a dress.  Snow would do that enough when it came to the more public ceremony down the road.  Tonight, they were just trying to make their daughter happy. 

“I also have this,” he said handing her a small tiara.

“Dad…”

“You mother had it commissioned for you before born.  No one has ever worn it.  She brought it back when you went back and fought Cora.  She wanted you to have it, but she understood that you would have to make the decision to accept your lineage.  Regina will push it when it is needed so she figured that it was time for you to have it,” Charming told her.

She looked at the sparkling silver tiara.  It wasn’t ostentatious.  It was very refined and it still made a statement.  It would still declare her royalty. 

“I don’t know that I am ready for that, or if I’ll ever be ready for that,” Emma replied.

“I understand that, but if what Coraline says is true…  You’ll be a queen beside your mother and Regina.  You will help rule and defend the realms.  You will need something to make the people see that you are the one to follow you,” Charming stated.

“And a suit of armor and sword won’t do that?” Emma asked him.

“You are too much like me,” he replied with a laugh.  “Just wear it for your mother, it’ll make her happy.  And, we both know how Snow gets when she isn’t happy.”

Emma smiled and reached over to take the tiara.  It was smaller than she thought.  She held it in her hands delicately.  She held up to his eye level before settling it on her head.  It fit perfectly.  She waved her hands around her hair and watched it turn into curls, falling around her face.

“You look amazing, Princess,” Charming told her as he gave her a deep bow.

She turned to face the full length mirror.  She had to admit that she was very handsome as she noted every detail of her reflection.  The silver trim of the brocade gave the jacket a very knightly look and she knew that it was her father wore it.  The deep royal blue and tiara marked her station while still being understated enough for Emma’s tastes.  Everything came together perfectly with the black skinny jeans and crisp white shirt.  Her calf high black leather boots completed the look. 

“You look like your father,” Snow said joining them, tears in her voice and eyes.

“Mom…”

“No, Emma, it’s perfect.  You look beautiful.  This might not be the wedding I pictured for you in my head, but I wouldn’t stop you.  You love her.  You are perfect for each other.  You complete each other, just your father and I do.  She makes you so happy and that is all I ever wanted for you.  I know that you might not want the royal blood you carry, but you can’t deny it forever, Emma.  You’re marrying a princess from a foreign realm, but she is still royalty in her own right.  She was my Queen at one point and she will be yours.  So, hold your head high and let your heart rule your hand and head and you can’t go wrong,” Snow told her.

Emma gathered her mother in a hug.  She didn’t know how Snow did it, but she always did.  She always gave her hope when it didn’t look like she had any left.  She knew how to keep Emma going and fighting for what she wanted.

“I love you, my Princess,” Snow whispered in her ear.

“I love you, too, Mom,” Emma replied.

 

Regina was back in the magical room.  Tink had joined her in order to help her get magically ready.  She knew that Regina might need help and she was allowing Emma to be with her family right now.  Regina seemed to understand.  She knew that Blue was with Henry getting him ready.  His smile made the rushed ceremony even more worth it.  She just wanted her children to be happy.  She had come so far in the past few years that she could honestly say that her happiness came from the happiness of her children and soon to be her wife.  This ceremony was just going to cement that in the minds of the people of Storybrooke.  She already knew it.

She began to wonder if she should dress up for it.  She knew that it was an impromptu thing, but it was still a marriage ceremony.  Tink wasn’t helping.  She was just waiting for Regina to give her something to do.  She appreciated Tink’s friendship, but she was still so naïve when it came to social structures and norms. 

_Too much time in Neverland,_ Regina thought to herself.

“Are you going to dress up?” Tink finally asked.

“I don’t know if I should.”

“You’re a queen about to marry a princess.  One would think that a nice dress would be in order, but this is also Emma we’re talking about.  I don’t think that she was planning anything too extravagant for tonight.  I am sure that she is leaving that up to Snow for the bigger ceremony.”

Regina turned to face the green fairy more fully.  She could see the mirth in her eyes.  She knew that Tink liked to tease.  She was coming into her own in Storybrooke.  Coraline had a lot to do with that, too.  She helped Tink prove herself further to Blue.  It made things better between all the fairies and the townspeople. 

“I am sure that Snow is going to turn it into a huge royal state affair.  I really don’t care.  I am willing to do whatever Emma wants.  I am marrying her, not Snow,” Regina quipped.

Tink laughed.  She pulled out her wand and waved it over at Regina.  She watched as green smoke wafted around her.  Her normal black pants suit transformed into a nice dress.  Regina admired it, glad that Tink didn’t go overboard and create some sort of fancy wedding dress or court dress for her wear.  It was a simple, but elegant, cream and bright red dress, totally Regina’s colors.  She smiled at Tink.

Snow knocked on the door.  Tink went to answer it and let her in.  Snow’s breath caught in her throat as she entered the room and saw Regina.  When Regina looked up at Snow’s teary hazel-brown eyes, she saw that same little girl that she had rescued so many years ago.  Her heart lurched towards the other brunette.

“You look beautiful,” Snow told her.

Regina took steps towards her and took Snow’s hands in her own.  She held them loosely and looked into her eyes.  So much was said in them that Snow almost cried at the sight she saw.  Regina gathered her closer and hugged the woman.  She knew what seeing Regina like that was doing to her.  Their shared memories of Regina’s last marriage weren’t lost.  They were just buried.  This time however, they both hoped that Love would prevail and win.

“Thank you,” Regina replied.

“Shall we go?” Snow asked.

“Are they ready?” Tink asked.

“Charming will have Emma there waiting on us,” Snow assured them both.

“What about Henry?” Regina asked.

“He’ll be just outside the door to escort you in,” Snow told her.

Everything was ready.  There was nothing else to delay them.  Tonight she would be Emma’s and Emma would be hers.  Coraline would be legitimate in the eyes of the people, even though Regina knew that no one would question her legitimacy with her being Regina’s daughter.  This was the beginning of the life that she wanted.  She had fought for it and she would continue to fight for it. 

She closed her eyes.  She took a deep breath and the opened her eyes.  She looked over at Tink and Snow, smiling.  She ran her hand over her stomach, rubbing the small baby bump, and her smile grew bigger.  “Time to go, ladies.  I’ve got a wedding to be in, a wife to marry.  This is my choice, this time and I plan on enjoying every minute of it,” she told them.

 

Coraline stood at the end of the dais.  The knighting ceremony was over.  She was officially the First Knight of Royal Guard of the Swan Kingdoms.  Everyone else had left the Court Hall, but she remained, standing staring out over the hall wondering how she was going to tell her mothers who she really was.  Her heart was heavy and her mind wandered.  She could feel the Darkness trying to escape, but she kept it at bay. 

Wilhelmina and Regina re-entered the hall and stopped when they saw Coraline.  Belle wasn’t far behind them.  She saw Coraline standing there, too.

“What’s wrong, Knight?” Regina asked her.

“The riders from Ulfland…”

“What do you know about them?” Regina asked cocking her eyebrow at her.

Belle stepped forward and whispered something in French to her.  Coraline nodded.  She turned to face Regina more fully.  She let out a breath and then rose to her full height.  It wasn’t much, but she gave off an intimidating air just like Regina could when needed.

“I know that the young boy lost his tongue.  They were sent as a warning.  As your Knight, my Queen is it my job to protect you and your kingdom.  Will you please tell me what you know so that I may do my job correctly?” Coraline asked her.

“Who are you, Knight?” Regina asked, not answering the question.

“I am your Knight.”

“But, there is more than that.  You’ve said that you are Vulcannonian, but Wilhelmina, Crown Princess of Vulcannon, doesn’t recognize you or your tattoos.  So, I ask again, who are you?”

Belle leaned over and whispered in her ear again.  Coraline nodded.  She took in a breath and held it.  She slowly released it.  Her eyes turned towards the hardened ones of Regina. 

“I doubt that you would believe me if I told you, but if you would like to know, I will need your permission to do something that you might find as a threat.  I promise you that I mean no harm to you or your family.  But, this is the only way that I can explain who I am,” Coraline stated.

Wilhelmina took two steps towards Coraline before Regina put her hand out to stop her.  Belle moved away from Coraline and went up to where Regina was standing.  Regina eyed the smaller woman but didn’t say anything to her.  She knew that somehow Belle knew who this knight was.

Coraline knelt down on stone floor.  She undid the Knight of Swan Tabard.  She folded it reverently and placed it beside her on the floor.  She drew the sword that Emma had presented her earlier and placed it on the tabard.  She then drew the tunic she was wearing over her head and dropped it on the floor. 

Regina was amazed that the woman before her was practically undressing but she had agreed to let the woman speak.  She watched her stand back up.  The black leather pants she was wearing were skin tight.  The thick belt held the bit of undershirt that she wore.  She was tattooed and scarred.  Regina could tell that the tattoos were older than Blue or Coraline had confessed, but it was the magical burn scars on her back that worried her the most.

Coraline stood before them.  She raised her hands and called forth her magic.  She let the fire burn in her hands.  Her eyes flashed green and she stared up the dais at Regina.  She let the power flow.  She was showing off and she knew it. 

“Regina…” Will hissed.

Regina raised her hand to silence her protest when she noticed Belle and Blue were unmoved by the display.  She cocked her head in amusement.  She wondered how far the woman would take this display before she made her point.

“So you have magic,” Regina commented.

“I do.  I was born with it.  It was passed to me by my mothers.”

“Mothers?” Regina asked.

“Allow me to introduce myself, properly,” she told Regina as she pulled the magic back into her body.  Regina looked on amazed as she took two more steps forward and knelt before the thrones. “The name my mothers gave me at birth was Remy Aurora Swan-Mills, Princess of the Winterlands, crown princess of the Swan Kingdom.  I was born in this castle three years ago, but thing happened and I wasn’t raised her.  I was given to my Aunts Ruby and Belle.  They changed my name to Coraline Danielle French in order to protect me from the forces that wanted to kill me.  I have survived for many years.  I have become the one thing that my mother dreaded.”

“And what was that?” Regina asked perfectly intrigued.

“I gave my heart to my Uncle Neal in order to save him from his half heart.  In the adventure to do that, I became the Dark One.  Unfortunately and fortunately for me, I am not tethered to the dagger.  I cannot be controlled.  I make my own destiny.”

Regina stood up.  She reached out and touched Coraline on the shoulder. Coraline turned up to look at her mother.

“Can you prove any of this?” Regina asked her.

“Blue?” Coraline stated.

“She can, my Queen, but it will take an act of faith and trust on your part.”

“What do I need to do, Bug?” Regina questioned getting agitated.

Blue took Regina’s hand and then took Coraline’s.  She placed them together and then waved her wand over their intertwined hands.  Regina watched the magic flow between them.  It flashed purple, then blue, then white, then black, then red, and finally it faded.  Regina’s head flew back as the memories came flooding back. 

Blue turned to hold Regina as Belle joined her.  Regina slumped into their arms.  Will was on Coraline, a dagger to her throat, threatening her under her breath before Regina came to.

“Will…”

“Regina?”

“Let her go.”

Will withdrew the blade from Coraline's throat.  She waited for further instructions from Regina.  She was eyeing Blue, Belle and Coraline.  Something still wasn’t right.  She was drawn to her and she didn’t like it.  She served Regina.  She didn’t understand all the ways of magic, but she wondered if they had fooled Regina into believing what the woman said was true.

“Coraline…”

“Yes, Mom, I’ve come home.”

Regina righted her self and wrapped her arms around Coraline.  Tears filled her eyes.  She released her and then looked at her daughter.  She could see the resemblance.

“But Remy?”

“She is the new me.  Due to my coming back in time to save everyone, I changed the timeline in which I was born.  The Remy that you have was actually born a year early.  She bares my name, but she is not me.  Becoming the Dark One permanently altered my life.  I will never the daughter that I was born to be.  I will always be an outsider that protects our family.  Neal, Henry and Remy will rule the kingdoms for many years to come,” Coraline told her.

“So what do you propose to do about the problem at hand?” Regina asked her.

“I am asking for your permission to deal with it.”

Regina cocked her head and looked at her adult daughter.  There was something about the way that she said she wanted to deal with it.  Regina could tell that there was something that wasn’t saying.  She wasn’t sure that she wanted to push it though.  She could tell that Coraline was holding back something and she could wonder if it was because she was the Dark One.

“You need my permission?” Regina asked.

“I am your knight, Mom.  Before I can do anything, I need the command of the Queen.  I am at your command.  What is it that you command, my Queen?” Coraline inquired.

“What do you know?”

“It is George, Mom.  He is making a play towards the throne.  He is still angry with Grams, Gramps, and you for his fall.  He wants to take your throne.”

“And you want to stop him?” Regina probed.

“Yes.”

“Then go.  Take Wilhelmina with you.  She can help.”

“I will, at your command, my Queen,” Coraline told her.

“Regina…” Will hissed.

“You will go with her, Will.  You will make sure that she comes back to me.  Do not question me, Will.  Do your job and protect this family.”

“Yes, my Queen.”

Regina turned to face Blue and Belle. They could see the anger and betrayal on her face.  They were worried to see what she would do.

“Can you reverse the spell that you brew, Belle?” Regina questioned.

“Yes, I can.”

“Then do it.  It is time for my daughter to come home and take her place among us.  She can deny her titles and her crown, but she will never deny us.  I won’t allow it.”

“I’ll start brewing right away,” Belle told her.

“And, Bookworm?”

“Yes, my Queen?” Belle asked in response.

“Thank you,” Regina replied as she watched her warrior daughter and her champion leave.


	62. Chapter 62

Henry looked dashing in his suit.  Regina smiled at him noticing how the royal blue jacket he was wearing resembled the ones that Charming would wear in the Enchanted Forest.  She wondered if his grandfather had supplied him with it for the ceremony.  She knew it really didn’t matter.  They were already family.  They were just making it a little more permanent.

Like the gentleman that Regina had raised him to be, he offered Regina his arm to escort her inside the room where Coraline was still in bed, waiting.  Regina took his arm.  They stood in front of the door.  They knew the Tink would open the door and ask her to enter to start the ceremony.  She could feel the butterflies starting in her stomach.  She was nervous and she knew that she didn’t need to be.

Regina listened to Henry’s breathing.  She could tell that he was worried about messing something up.  She reached over and squeezed his arm, giving him a smile.  He turned to face her.  His hazel eyes met her mahogany brown and the smile lit up his face.

“You’ll be fine,” she told him.

They saw the door open.  Henry stood up a little straighter.  She smiled at him posing himself.  They both gasped when they saw Emma standing beside Charming and Blue on one side and Coraline on the other.  She smiled at Coraline when she realized that she was standing beside her pallet and was slightly dressed up. She could see the tunic that Belle must have brought her.  She smiled at her sister, Ruby, and Belle, who were both standing behind Coraline, silently supporting her.  Snow was just inside the door waiting for her to enter. 

“Ready?” Henry asked under his breath.

“Yes, I am,” Regina replied.

Blue nodded at her.  They were waiting for the acknowledgement from her to begin their procession.  Tink moved out of the way and they moved into the doorway.

“Emma, if you will join me, I see that your bride awaits!” Belle called out.

Henry knew that was his cue.  They started into the room.  It was only a few steps until they reached Emma and Blue, but the entire way, Regina could feel her heart beating heavily.

“As you all know, Emma and Regina have come to me in order to be wed.  They thank you for being here today to witness their hand fasting.  The fact that they have asked you to be here with them means that their love extends to you as well.  They want you to share in their lives, their ups and downs, and wanted you to know that they will always be near if you need them as well.  I also know that each of you is here to support them in their journey together.  You have seen them grow close to each other and their love bloom.  You are here to testify to that.

“Emma and Regina are here to pledge themselves to each other.  The terms we use may be ‘Unconditional Love,’ True Love, or ‘In Perfect Love and Trust.’  I need to know that you have both come here in order to celebrate your love for each other, and that you do so with no reservation.  You have entered this magical circle with nothing but joy and love in your hearts as you commit yourselves to each other,” Blue stated.

“In perfect love and perfect trust,” Emma responded.

“Always in perfect love and perfect trust,” Regina replied.

“Good, then let it be known amongst everyone that you have come to declare yourselves before the gods and goddesses to be bound together until the next life and beyond. 

“Since the dawn of time, people have called upon the elements to bless them and today will be no different.  I call upon fire to keep your hearth warm and loving.  I call upon the wind to keep to your back to help you on your journeys together and with life’s breath.  I call upon the rains to keep you cool and slack your thirst.  I call upon the earth to provide you a good home and a plentiful bounty upon your table.  I call upon the spirit to bless you and keep you safe, to protect you from any demons or hateful spirits against your house. 

“Always remember to communicate with each other.  Never question your passion for one another.  Find comfort with each other and fight alongside each other in every battle no matter how large or small.  Build your life together in a house that you have built on the rock of your love.  Never let anything come between you and divide you.  You are becoming one while still remaining your own person.  Never forget who you are, but accept that you are also one, too.

“Regina?”

“Yes, Mother?” Regina replied, bowing to her.

“Lady Regina, I ask you to call upon all that is divine within you.  Let it come forth and shine. You are wife, mother, lover, friend, prophet, and confidant, in you is everything that anyone could ever aspire to be and more. In you is strength and wisdom, perfection and peace. Shine dear one and show your true nature as our Queen.

 “Emma?”

“Yes, Blue,” Emma said bowing as well. 

“Lady Emma, I ask you to call upon all that is divine within you.  Let it come forth and shine.  You are wife, healer, protector, visionary, friend, and confidant, in you is everything that anyone could ever aspire to be and more.  In you is strength and wisdom, perfection and peace. Shine mighty one and show to all the Warrior Queen within.

“Now, I ask all who are here.  Do you promise to help these two on their journey of Love?  Do you promise to help remind them who they are together?  Do you wish for them to join and be better together?”

“We do,” they all replied.

“Who gives this Queen to the Princess?” Blue asked.

“I do,” Henry, Coraline and Ruby stated.

“Who gives this Princess to the Queen?”

“We do,” Snow, Charming and Coraline responded.

“Then let no one ever divide them apart.  For your families are joining and becoming one, if one was your child, now so is her wife.  If she was your mother, now so is the other.”

Blue looked them all the in eyes.  She could see the subtle tears in Snow’s eyes.  She knew that everyone was happy today.  She knew that they would guide each other, support each other, and the kingdoms would prosper because of this match.  Emma and Regina were strong, but they were so much stronger together.  Being bound together, they would be unstoppable.

“Now, I ask you, Charming, and you, Snow, for the rings that will show to all the world that Emma and Regina are joined,” Blue stated looking from Charming to Snow.

They handed her the rings.  They were simple silver bands, not too large, but big enough to show.  Emma hadn’t wanted anything too gaudy.  She wasn’t trying to make any other statement then that Regina would be hers. 

“These rings were entrusted to you, by Emma and Regina.  I want you both to look at these rings.  Now look at those who are standing with you and know that they are her to support you in this.  They held the rings that you picked for one another in order to help you protect your love until you could declare it to all.  These rings are a symbol of your love.  I want you to see how each ring is a perfect circle.  It will be given in perfect love and perfect trust.  It has no beginning and no end, like your love.  It is infinite,” Blue told them holding up the rings before them.

“The ring finger of the left hand, the side of the body that holds the heart, has been used for the wedding band because for centuries people believed that there was a vein that ran directly from that finger to the heart. They also believed that the words that were spoken during the placing of the ring would resonate over and over, like the circumference of the band itself, through to the heart and soul of both giver and receiver of the most monumental promise of all, the promise of a lifetime as bound partners.”

Blue handed Emma one ring and Regina the other.  Blue looked to Regina and she extended her left hand towards Emma.  Emma held up the ring she had for Regina to see.

“For the girl you were, for the woman you are, and for the wife you shall be to me, I do choose you to be my own.  If thou wilt now place this ring upon mine finger, I shall from this day forth, ‘till beyond the end of time, take thee to be mine own,” Regina stated as Emma placed the ring on her finger.

“With this ring I _thee_ wed. I take you as my friend, my lover, my wife from this day forth and into the fullness of time where we will meet and remember and love again,” Emma told her.

When she was done, Blue turned to Regina.  She held up the other ring for Emma to see.  Emma smiled at her, happy tears forming in her eyes, as she raised her left hand for Regina to put the ring upon her finger.

“For the queen you were, for the woman you are, and for the wife you will be to me, I do choose you to be mine own, my Queen and my wife.  If thou wilt now place this ring upon mine finger _,_ I shall from this day forth, ‘till beyond the end of time, take thee to be mine own,” Emma said as Regina pushed the ring down her finger.

“With this ring, I thee wed.  I take you as my friend, my lover, my wife, and my fellow queen from this day forth and into the fullness of time where we will meet and remember and love again,” Regina told her and then kissed Emma’s hand just below the ring.

Blue smiled at the couple.  Regina knew that there was more to come, but she wondered if Emma was as happy as she was.  She could see the tears still in her eyes.  She cut her eyes just enough to see the rest of the family there.  They were all reflecting Regina’s mirth and contentment.

Blue took a step back and nodded to Belle.  Belle spun around as Tink joined Blue.  Belle handed Tink a tray with a pewter chalice.  Charming handed her a tankard of ale.  Snow stepped forward with a small cake. 

Regina looked at all the items.  She was completely surprised that they managed to find all the items that they needed to complete the ceremony in such a short time.  But, then again, she shouldn’t be.  She knew how resourceful that Emma was and with Belle on their side anything was possible.  Her smile grew as she caught a mischievous look in Henry’s eyes.

“As the Head Fairy and the only religious leader in Storybrooke, I know say this for our new queens.  As you are Lady and Majesty are separate, yet one, so have your pledges made you.  Drink, this now of one another’s love,” Blue told them pouring some of the ale into the chalice.  “And, know that you will never again thirst in your heart or in mind, for what each of you lacks the other has to give and well spring of love flows eternally for those who drink often from it.”

Emma reached for the chalice.  She drank a healthy amount and then held it as Regina sipped from it.  Regina took the offered ale and drank.  When she was done, Emma handed the chalice back to Blue.  Blue placed it on the tray that Tink was holding and picked up the small cake.  She held it between the two.

And as Regina reached for the cake, Blue stated, “As food and drink nourish the body, so does love feed the soul of marriage.  Feed now one another and feed forevermore the spirit of your union and the depth of you love, letting it always be full.”

Regina fed Emma a small piece of the cake that she pinched off.  Emma took the bite and kissed Regina’s fingers as she withdrew them.  Emma then pinched off a piece and fed it to Regina.  She kissed Emma’s fingertips.  Emma giggled slightly at the gesture until she caught her mother’s look.  She let her smirk fall, but smiled again when she found Regina’s eyes.

“I know that you asked for a traditional hand fasting.  I am now asking in front of these witnesses that you have come here with to make your pledge of everlasting love: Is it also your wish today that your hands be fasted in the ways of old?” Blue asked them.

Emma and Regina held each other’s hands.  Turning to face away from each other and face Blue instead, they took steps towards each other.  They were shoulder to shoulder.  Emma raised her right hand and Regina took it in her left hand.  Holding each other’s hand, they replied, “It is.”

Blue smiled.  She could see the happiness building more and more between the two brides.  Regina was radiating.  She took a quick glance at Coraline and could see her eyes beginning to glow green.  She didn’t look concerned about it though.  She knew that Coraline was feeding off their emotions.  It was a magical thing that True Love children could do.  The happier that Regina and Emma got as the ceremony went on, the more True Love magic filled Coraline.

Blue reached out for their hands.  When she took them in her own, she turned the upwards so their palms were facing her.  She withdrew her wand and held it.

“Is there someone of these families who will bless this union with a token?” Blue asked them

Henry puffed up proudly and stated, “I will.”

“What do you bring as a token then, young prince?”

Henry turned to smile at Coraline.  She cocked her head at him wondering why he would look to her before giving the token to Blue.  He then reached into his pocket and produced a leather strip.  Coraline took a breath when she saw it.  She recognized it.  She knew what the leather thong was that held the ring he gave her.  Her hand flew up to her neck and she felt the ring and leather strip seated just below her collar bone.  He merely nodded at her as he handed Blue the leather thong.

“This is your token.  It is a strip of cloth presented by your family and blessed by them to bless this marriage.  This is your families’ vow to you.  This cord is their symbol of acceptance and welcoming as your families become one with your love,” Blue told them.

She took her wand and scratched down Emma’s palm.  A small nick appeared and a trickle of blood flowed.  Emma hissed quietly.  She did the same to Regina’s palm.  Regina took a sharp intake of breath.  Once she was done, Blue turned their hands together and let the blood flow freely to the ground. 

Then she took the cord from Henry’s hand.  She draped it across their hands, just letting it hang for a few moments.  She looked from Emma then to Regina.  Her smile grew.  She took the ends of the cord and began to wrap them around their hands.

As she did it, she told them, “Remember then as your hands are fasted, these are not the ties that bind.  Your love is what binds you.  The song your heart shares shall now be strengthened by the vows that you have made and have taken freely.  Like everything we are made of earth, spirit, fire, water, and air, and to each we will return.  This cord will bind you and be a symbol of your connection to each other until you are destined to ascend to the heavens.

“May you be forever as one in the passion and fire of you, as Queen and Queen’s hands are bound, you are now as your hearts have always know you to both be, Partners in all things.  You may now kiss the bride!”

Emma smiled, turning towards to Regina.  She knew that the blessings and power of their love wouldn’t be realized until they kissed sealing their union.  She reached over and took Regina’s other hand in her own.  Their eyes met, green and mahogany.

Blue could see the love flowing between them.  Their hands were glowing and no one but Blue, Belle, and Coraline saw it.  The mixture of bright red magic started swirling.  Coraline could see the white and blue magic of both of her mothers swirling. 

Coraline watched in awe as her mothers leaned closer and closer together.  She felt her heart swelling.  When they finally kissed, a blinding white light flowed around the room.  Coraline and Blue were the only ones that seemed to see it. 

The light dissipated and formed an energy ball.  It was then that magic started flowing from Snow and Charming.  It joined the energy ball.  Then, Coraline saw another energy burst come from Red and Belle.  Finally, there was a smaller burst of love magic coming from Henry.  Her eyes widened as she stared at the ball of magic and energy. 

When Blue saw it reach its peak, she drew her wand.  She pulsed some magic into it.  Coraline watched her in rapt attention until the ball moved across towards her.  She cocked her head as she looked between the ball and Blue.  Her eyes faltered for a minute as darkness closed in trying to fight off the pure magic of love that was growing in the room.

She called out, but no one could hear her.  Time seemed to stop around her as the magic continued to grow.  Her eyes flashed green and stayed a bright viridian.  Then, the ball of magic slammed into her body, filling her completely down to the smallest cell.

Regina and Emma backed away from each other as they heard Coraline scream finally.  They all turned to see her surrounded by the magic.  Emma realized that this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind by trying to help her.  She could only hope that this would be enough to help Coraline fight the overwhelming darkness.

“Blue?”

“She is being bathed in love,” Blue told them.

Regina let go of Emma and took a step towards her daughter.  She reached through the swirling magic and power and touched Coraline’s chest.  She could feel the pulsing magic flowing through her body and the steady beat of her pulsing heart.  Regina waited until she could see the deep green, magic swirled, brown eyes.  She cocked her head as she plunged her hand into Coraline’s chest, ripping her heart from it.

Coraline released a strangled gasp.  As her body started to give out from the immense power that was flowing through her, Red caught her, effortlessly helping Coraline back to the pallet.  Henry looked on in horror, thinking that his grown baby sister was suffering some sort of attack.  Charming grabbed the teenager’s shoulder, holding him back, and allowing Regina and Blue to do whatever it was that they needed to do.

“We do this now,” Regina commanded.

Blue just nodded.  She knew what Regina was hoping for.  Emma had been right.  By binding their love and their magic, Regina and Emma had created an energy more powerful than that of the Dark One.  They had immobilized the Darkness and energized Coraline’s natural magic as it was fueled by the love of her family.

“Let’s go,” Blue replied taking Snow and Regina’s hands leading them from the room.

Emma stood there, unsure of what to do.  Charming helped her into a chair.  Tink kept watch over Coraline.  Henry was ushered away by Belle and Red.  But, on their way out, Red patted Emma’s shoulder.  They weren’t sure if this was going to be the cure all, but they could always hope.  Belle turned back to look at the magically glowing, heartless body of Coraline.

She gave them a faint smile, but inside her heart was breaking.  She knew what it meant to love the Dark One.  She was unique in that end, amongst them all.  She knew that they only had a certain window to protect the Neal’s half-heart once it was in Coraline’s body.  This was a new development and suddenly Belle had hope for the woman she thought of like a sister and a daughter.  Her heart was breaking, because she knew that Coraline wasn’t going to stay.  No matter what happened today she was going to make them follow through with the plan that she’d already laid out.  In three days, Coraline would have Ruby bury her in the well.  There was going to be no swaying her.  Belle could only hope that she could give her something before she was entombed.  And she hoped that the something that she gave her was enough to bring Coraline back from wherever she ended up until she felt comfortable enough to come home.

In the other room, Regina, Snow and Blue stood over the young boy.  Snow’s eyes were already tearing up.  She feared that this wouldn’t help her son and that everything that Coraline came back to the past would have been in vain.  Regina took both of Snows hands as she placed Coraline’s bright red and pulsing heart into her hands.

“Don’t drop that,” Regina muttered.

Her eyes flashed purple as she neared Neal.  Blue was there to suspend the boy so that he wouldn’t feel the pain that the removal of his heart could cause.  Once he was ready, she gave Regina a sign to take his heart. 

Snow could do nothing but look on in abject horror.  She knew that it was necessary in order to save him and the rest of the family, but it didn’t make it any easier for her.  She had seen Regina take hearts before.  Hell, she’d even let her take hers, only to have Regina put it back.  She knew the pain that her young son was about to feel.  She closed her eyes.

“Open your eyes, Snow,” Regina demanded.

Her hazel eyes met her coffee and purple tinged eyes.  Regina’s look was fierce, but loving.  She took a step towards his bed.  Her eyes never left Snow’s.

“Look at him while we do this.  I want you to see what our family is doing in order to survive.  I want you to never forget the sacrifice of your granddaughter in order to save her uncle.  I want someone very close to him to feel the pain and triumph of this transfer.  I want you to remember and never forget that I am doing this to save us all,” Regina told her.

She saw the tears in Snow’s eyes.  She knew that her words were harsh, but she refused to sugar coat what was about to happen.  This wasn’t meant to pleasant.  She wanted Snow to know what could be losing, but wasn’t.  She wanted Snow to feel the pain that she would be feeling in a few days if their bound loves weren’t enough to protect and heal the half-heart of Neal once it was given to Coraline.  She wanted someone besides Emma to share in her grief and misery.  She knew that it was petty, but she was the former Evil Queen.

Snow came closer to her son’s frozen body.  Her eyes met those of Blue.  She saw the wonder and the slight fear in the fairy’s eyes, but she also saw the resolve in Regina’s.  They were doing this and they knew that it would give the better outcome.  Snow would have Neal and Regina would be able to give her daughter, Remy yet to be born, a better childhood than the one that Coraline had suffered through.  It was a painful, magical step, but it was necessary.

Suddenly and methodically, Regina’s hand plunged into Neal’s tiny body.  Snow sobbed at the sight of her son’s small body arching upwards towards her former step-mother, now her daughter-in-law.  Regina felt the same blockage that Cora had felt when she tried to pull out Emma’s heart years ago.  Knowing that Neal would have to trust her in order for her to get his heart out, she turned back to Snow.  She was the only one who could make Neal do it.  She released his tiny half-heart.

“Wha-what’s wrong?” Snow asked as Regina reached out for her Coraline’s heart.

“You have to do it,” Regina told her and heard Blue’s gasp behind her.

“M-m-me?”

“Neal doesn’t love me.  His body won’t just give up his heart to me.  He is also the product of True Love and it that magic that protects his small heart.  Snow, you have to do this.”

She looked at Blue and Regina in abject horror.  She couldn’t destroy her son.  She couldn’t do something that heinous without nightmares and she knew it.

“Don’t worry.  He won’t feel a thing.  I’ve taken care of that,” Blue urged her watching Snow’s decent into near madness.

“Would you do anything to save your child?” Regina asked her point blank.

Snow faced her.  The anger was now burning in her eyes.  She simply shook her head “yes.”

“Then do it.”

“I c-c-can’t do th-th-that.”

“Snow, you have to.  His and Coraline’s life are now in your hands.  I’ll put her heart in as soon as you take his.  He won’t feel anything.  Blue’s made sure of that.  But, you love as his mother will allow you to take it.  You have to take his heart,” Regina told her.

Snow just started shaking her head “no.”  She backed up away from the bed.  She couldn’t do it.

“Snow, look at me.”

She turned sharply.  She saw the fire in Regina’s eyes.  She was hypnotized by her gaze.

“You condemned another’s child to a life of pain and misery in order to protect Emma.  This is your son you are trying to save.  We have done everything that we can in order to protect him from any pains or any memories of this ever happening.  I can’t remove his heart without destroying his body.  You love as a mother will allow you to break through and take it.  DO IT!”

Snow took a hesitant step towards the bed.  She looked up at Regina’s face.  She could she the hardened woman that she’d fought in the Enchanted Forest mixed with the young woman that had cared for her, saved her, and loved her as a child.  She took a deep breath.  She leaned over, kissed her son’s forehead, and placed her hand on his chest.  Her own heart constricted at the thoughts of what she was about to do.

“Now, just think about holding his heart in your hands.  You’ll feel your hand sink through his chest until you feel something warm and pulsing.  Once you feel it, only think of your love for him as you slowly pull it out,” Regina instructed her.

Snow blinked away the tears in her eyes and nodded in response.  She felt her hand slowly push through his body until it was inside.  It felt so warm inside.  She could feel the throbbing of his heart and then she had it in her hand.  Slowly and with a purpose she started to pull back.  She felt a slight resistance and immediately thought about how much she loved her small boy.  The resistance gave and her hand came out of his chest with a flourish.

She was too busy looking at his small, bright red, broken half-heart to see Regina plunging Coraline’s True Love protected heart in its place.  She heard the sharp intake of breath from Blue and watched as her son’s body accepted his niece’s heart into it.  His body relaxed on the pallet.  Regina simply reached over to take the heart from Snow, but she pulled it away.  She gave Regina a strange look, one in which Regina cocked her eyebrow at.  Regina could feel her anger beginning to surface and her magic swell inside her at the thought that Snow would deny her the heart to save her own daughter.

“Let me do it,” Snow finally said very quietly.

Regina just nodded.  She understood then.  She needed to do this to believe that she’d done the right thing.  It was another way for Snow to assuage her guilt about taking Neal’s heart.  It was a way for Snow to make penance for everything that she had done against Regina, to make Emma lighter, and what she might have done to release the Blackness on them in the future that Coraline had to live through without them.  This act of evil and love would be her consequence.

Blue told them that she would stay with Neal until they were done.  She instructed them on what to do once the half-heart was in Coraline and informed them that she would stay with her the rest of the night.  She also let them know that Charming and Snow were welcome to stay in Neal’s room.  She would have more pallets brought to the rooms.  She knew that Regina and Emma wouldn’t leave Coraline’s side for three more days.  She could only hope that this was going to be enough for Coraline to fight back and stay with them.

Snow followed Regina down the hall and back into Coraline’s room.  As soon as they walked into the room, Regina flashed them a look.  They all understood it meant leave.  Charming gathered them all up and head for the door.  He stopped before Snow, looking down at the small, half-heart in her hands, and kissed her on the cheek, mumbling about how he would be with Neal, waiting for her when she was ready.  Snow simply nodded in response. 

Emma was the only one that stayed.  Regina wasn’t sure that she wanted Emma in there with them.  She was too close to everyone involved, but she was also the only calming factor for them as well.  Emma, however, was smart enough to move out of the way.  She backed herself up to the wall and watched from afar.  Heart taking was not something that she wanted to learn.

Snow hovered over Coraline’s body.  She seemed unsure of what to do, but she didn’t ask Regina for help either.  She just stood there, bent at the waist, and whispering something.  Regina couldn’t hear what she was saying, but she was sure that it was something to calm the already lifeless body on Coraline and an admission of guilt for doing this to her. 

Regina would never understand Snow’s need to be always on the side of good.  She understood all too well that sometimes one had to make the tough decision, the wrong choice, or the easy way out of a situation without a care as to the consequences.  Magic gave Regina that freedom, but then she realized that Snow never knew that type of empowerment and joy.  Thinking about it further, she mused that it was a good thing that Snow didn’t have magic but her daughter did.  If Snow had magic when they were in the Enchanted Forest, they would have laid waste to each other and there would have been a lot more casualties and stress put upon the people.

Snow turned up to face Regina.  Hazel questioning the deep, rich, coffee brown.  Regina merely waved her hand at her daughter’s body and gave Snow a look that basic stated “get on with it.”  She took another step towards the pallet.  She looked across the body to where Snow was standing and just hoped that her step-daughter turned mother-in-law would just hurry up and push the heart into Coraline’s body.  She actually needed it inside Coraline so she could start the spells that would protect her and help her.  Snow took the small, broken organ and shoved it inside of Coraline’s chest. 

Coraline’s body automatically reacted to the heart.  She was pure magic, and it didn’t matter that she was the embodiment of absolute evil in being the Dark One.  She was also the product of True Love from another product of True Love.  She was Love.  Her body arched off the pallet and she grimaced. 

Regina wasn’t sure what to do at that moment.  She had never seen someone react so harsh to getting a heart if theirs was missing.  It was almost like the Love in the heart, mixed with the glowing Love magic that surrounded Coraline’s body, was fighting a battle against the darkness insider her.  Her body seemed to fight the battle physically.  Regina was a aghast.  She didn’t know what to do.  None of her training with Rumple prepared her for anything that they were facing now.  This was more than magic.  She didn’t know how to describe it.  

Coraline’s body finally relaxed and fell back to the cot with a loud thump.  Emma was immediately off the wall and beside her small family.  _This was supposed to be a happy day_ , she thought to herself.  She didn’t know what to think when Coraline didn’t immediately wake.  She was so still.  Her eyes tore from her adult daughter’s body to that of her new wife’s.  She didn’t know what she was looking for from Regina, but she didn’t find it.  Regina looked just as worried as she was.  Snow wasn’t much better.

“I don’t know, Emma.  I don’t know what to do.  She should have woken up,” Regina told her.

“Wake her up!” Emma screamed at her.

“I don’t know how.  She is full of the two most powerful magics known to us.  I am not sure if they aren’t fighting for control of her, Emma.”

“Do something!” Emma demanded.

Regina rounded the pallet and grabbed her wife around the waist.  She pulled her into an embrace.  It was odd being the one comforting her wife.  She was used to being the one who was comforted.  She was now a “Charming,” though.

“I’ll just go…” Snow started to say.

Regina just waved her off.  She knew that Snow wanted to go check on her son.  There was nothing else that she could do for them.  She didn’t know what to say to her own daughter.  She knew that Snow blamed herself for the events that had taken place, but so did Regina.  Then she remembered what Coraline had told them while preparing for this.

“We just have to wait, Emma.”

“Wait?  Wait for what?  What are you talking about?” Emma asked her wife.

Pulling away from her, her eyes were wild and full of fear, but Regina didn’t let her go far.  She still held Emma as her body relaxed.  Emma saw the change in Regina’s posture, but she didn’t know what it meant.  Regina kept Emma’s hands in her own as she looked down at Coraline.

“She said it would take three days.”

“Three days until what?”

“We have to wait three days for the magic to take full effect.  She was planning something and we didn’t see it.  She must have done something, but that doesn’t matter.  We’ll just have to watch her and protect her for three days.  But no matter what happens, I am not that I can let her go….”

“I know that Ruby is doing something.  Maybe we should ask her about it.  Do you think that she knows something that we don’t?” Emma asked her.

“She’s building Coraline’s tomb.  I don’t think that Coraline thinks she’ll survive this.  She is using the three days as a buffer…just in case…” Regina started to explain.

“Just in case she doesn’t wake up?” Emma asked.

“Yes,” Regina replied, utterly defeated when she realized that her daughter had planned her own death in order to rewrite her past and their future.  “She is supposed to be the Survivor, not the sacrifice.  Stay here, Emma.  Call me if there is any change.  I have a Bookworm to talk to…”


	63. Chapter 63

Coraline had gathered her black tunic and a black tabard.  She wasn’t waiting for Wilhelmina.  She knew that Will would catch up to her or they would be meeting up in the stables.  She was grabbing her sword belt when Emma came into the room. 

Coraline saw the flash of blond hair, but she didn’t stop getting ready to go.  She picked up the sword that she’d had lying on the bed and sheathed it.  Then she grabbed her black leather pouch and affixed it on the right side of the belt near her hip.  It would be the only thing that would mark her as being part of the House of Swan.  She was doing it on purpose.  She needed to be able to take out George without any retaliation coming down on her family. 

She wasn’t going to need armor.  Being the Dark One sometimes had its perks, immortality was one of them.  It was also a curse, but she couldn’t think about that right now.  She needed to focus on getting to George and dealing with his threat.

“You have nothing to say to me?” Emma asked, finally breaking the silence and her thoughts.

“What would you have me say?”

“Anything!”

Coraline stopped dressing.  She turned and faced her blond mother.  She could see the pain in her bright green eyes and she knew that she was reason.  Her left hand dropped to the hilt of her sword.  She didn’t mean to take such a stance, but she had something that she needed to be doing.  She didn’t have time to have talks and share emotions.  There was a maniac king on the loose who wouldn’t mind if they were all dead.

“I am sorry, but I can’t do this right now,” Coraline told her as she grabbed a cloak and headed to the door brushing passed Emma as she did.

“Stop!”

Coraline turned around and faced Emma.  She didn’t have a choice.  The tattoo still worked even now.  She gritted her teeth and waited for Emma to say something else.

“What game are you playing at, Coraline?” Emma asked her.

“I am not playing any game.  I am going to defeat George and then when I get back, you can berate me or yell me or whatever it is that you want to do.  Right now there is a threat to this family and I am not going to let it stand.  I have witnessed and dealt with so much suffering.  I am not going to let that little girl grow up to know my Hell.  Why do you think l have done all of this?  Why do you think I continue to fight for us?”

“I don’t know.  You wouldn’t tell us anything until you had to because you needed our help.  This is different.  I know that...I remember that you are the Dark One, but you are still my daughter.  I wouldn’t want this life for you.  I would do anything to keep you from having to fight our battles, but it seems that I don’t get that luxury,” Emma told her.

“No, Ma...you don’t.  That is my job now.  I will protect the family.  You and Mom take care of the kingdom and raising Remy and Henry right.  I’ve got this,” Coraline slated trying for the door again.

“Will you at least come back this time?” Emma asked, tears threatening to fall.

“I will always come back, Ma.  No matter how many times I leave.  I will always find my way home.  I can’t help it.  I’m drawn to the love you and Mom share.  I am made from it, remember?   It calls to me,” Coraline said truthfully.

Emma smiled, weakly, but she smiled.  Coraline didn’t know if it was enough, but it would have to be for the time being.  She needed to go deal with George.  This wasn’t the time for pleasantries.  This was war.  George had brought it to her parents door step with the young messengers from Ulfland and Coraline was going to end it.  It was what she had become built for: war and protection.  This time, Emma let her go, moving just enough out of her way to let her out the door.

“You see that you come back to me,” Emma said as Coraline kept walking down the corridor.

“Always, Ma, always,” she said without thinking.

As she made her way out the castle, she fastened the cloak around her neck.  It too was black and long.  She wondered if she should even bother with it because of its length, but she decided that she could drape it over the horse if they needed it later.  They were heading to the mountains of Ulfland.  It would be cold and very inhospitable.  She would need the extra layers to stay warm, even if it was only for comfort.  She knew what it was like to fight in the cold and snow unprepared.

She found her way to the stables and her horse.  She wasn’t surprised to find it already saddled.  She was surprised that Will wasn’t there waiting for her.  She shook her head.

There were too many emotions floating through her head when it came lo Will.  It was distracting.  She needed to clear her mind and focus on the task at hand.  If she didn’t, it could be dangerous.  She grabbed and extra blanket or two, she wasn’t sure, and threw them on the back of the horse.  She grabbed the reins and started to pull it through the stables towards the castle’s armory.  She wanted more than a sword to go into battle with.  Sure she had her magic, but sometimes steel spoke a lot louder.  She hoped that this would be another one of those times.

She decided to focus on the clop, clop of the horse’s shoes on the cobblestones as she walked through the courtyard of the castle.  She could smell rain off in the distance.  She could feel the love and peace that surrounded her parents and family.  Then she saw her, the small blonde child that had taken her place.  Remy was loved.  She was only a little older than she had been when Charming and Henry had come into tell them that Emma has been destroyed lighting the Blackness.  Seeing the look in her young, green eyes fortified Coraline’s resolve even more.  That child would not want for her parents.  Ever.  Neither would Danielle, Belle and Ruby’s daughter.  She would go Dark before that happened.

She tied the dark brown horse off outside the armory and walked inside.  It wasn’t very lit up and she didn’t expect it to be.  They hadn’t had to fight a war in some time.  The knights were all trained and ready but they hadn’t had a confrontation in years.  Coraline had ensured that with her becoming the Dark One.  She grabbed a torch and lit it with her finger, seeing no sense in finding some flint.

She meandered down the corridors until she got to the sword room.  She walked in and started staring at the racks upon racks of broad swords.  As she looked at them, her hand automatically fell to her hilt.  She gripped her sword tightly as she found a rack of shorter swords.  She let go of her sword and grabbed me off the rack before her.  She tested its weight and balance.  She found a chuck of wood and hacked at it to test its metal.  It would do.  She grabbed another and sought out some scabbards for them.  She grabbed two different types.  Putting the two short swords in two of the mountable scabbards she walked back out to her horse.

She draped the scabbards in from of the saddle and secured it to the saddle.  She wanted one on each side for each draw while she was mid-gallop if needed.  They weren’t going to be her main sword by any means.  They were going to be there if she needed them and only if she needed them.  She always lied to be prepared, overly prepared.

Her horse neighed and hoofed the ground.  She finished tying off the scabbards and then pet his neck.  She spoke softly and quietly, almost just above a whisper, to calm the edgy gelding.

She turned back and went back into the armory.  As she entered, she heard hoof steps.  She figured it was Will finally catching up to her.  She didn’t let that deter her.  She made her way through the building again until she found the cavalry’s room.

She didn’t need her torch in this room.  She walked around until she found a short spear.  It was about nine feet in length, one of that being the lance’s head.  It would double as her guidon when she was done fighting.  She reached over and found a rolled guidon flag.  Grabbing the flag and the spear, she headed back out.  She tucked the flag into a saddle bag.

Coraline didn’t wait for Will to say anything as she mounted.  She turned her horse to head for the main gate when she saw Will mounted, similarly dressed and armed, following her.  She noticed that Will also had a quiver and a long bow.  She nodded at her and continued towards the gate, raising her lance to the sky.   Will did the same catching up to her side.

As they neared the gate, she saw Regina and Emma, with Belle, waiting for them.  She could see the worry in Belle’s eyes.  It was in that moment that she wished that she hadn’t given Belle the power to remember who she was.  It seemed to be painful for the woman that she loved like a mother and sister, more than she ever was an aunt to her.

Regina walked up to her first.  She put a bag of food around the saddle horn.  She reached up and took Coraline’s hand, holding it, giving her a silent wish to be safe.  Coraline nodded at her as Emma came up and put some wine skins around the saddle horn on the other side.  She patted Coraline’s leg.  Their eyes met and held.  She understood that Emma didn’t like showing emotion, much like she didn’t, but it was her silent way of telling her that she loved her.  Coraline reached down and put her gloved hand over Emma’s, acknowledging their bond.  Belle walked up last.  She handed Coraline some rolled maps and a journal.  She also gave her one of Ruby’s charms, so she would feel close to her foster mothers.

“ _Merci,_ ” she stated to Belle, knowing only Belle would understand.

“Be careful, little one and come home to us.  I know that you are still battling the Darkness inside you.  I can feel it coursing through you.  I don’t care what happens, Coraline.  You come home to us.  We are your family.  We can help you passed this.  You’ve battled it too long on your own,” Belle told her.

She shifted in the saddle.  She looked over at Regina and Emma.  She nodded at them as she started to slowly trot out of the castle grounds.  She heard Will right behind her.  She wasn’t surprised to see them following them out the gate when she turned around to wave at them.

She felt her heart lurch at the sight.  She could see the tears in Regina and Belle’s eyes.  She knew that it was tearing up Emma and Ruby inside, but they were both too proud to cry about it in public.  She knew that they would wait until they were behind closed doors.  Coraline understood both sides.  She was the perfect mash-up of them all.

Will raised her lance so the head was in the air and the ferrule point was rest on her armored boot.  Coraline matched her movements.  They dipped their lances in salute and rode away.

For Coraline, it was bittersweet.  The last time that she saw any one leave that gate it was Emma going out to fight the Blackness.  Later that week, Charming, Regina and Henry went through it to their deaths.  It was the same clay that Coraline, Belle and Ruby went running through the catacombs to survive.  There wasn’t much else she remembered about that day, but she was determined that no one else in her family was going to ride through that gate to their deaths.  She would battle for them.  Now, she was the one going out to face the threat.

She let her shoulders drop as they rode onward towards the edge of the kingdom.  She knew that the boarder to Ulfland wasn’t more than a day’s ride away from the castle.  She wondered if what she would do once she crossed the border.  It was a harsh land full of Wolves and other dark creatures.  Coraline wasn’t afraid; she was just surprised that George has set up camp there.  But, then after seeing her mothers’ and her grandparents’ lands, she knew that no one with a right mind would have taken George in after Charming and Snow had recaptured the realm.

“Are you going to talk at all?” Will asked her.

“What would you have me say?” Coraline questioned, turning to face her as they continued to trot through the dense forest.

“I don’t know.  There is a history between us that I don’t know.  You’ve returned the memories to everyone it seems, but me.  Is there a reason for that?”

“No,” Coraline lied.

“See, the thing is that I don’t believe you.  I knew that there was something about you that was too familiar before you pulled that stunt with Regina.  But, I think that there is more to it that you aren’t tell me.  What happened in Storybrooke between us?” Will demanded.

“That doesn’t matter right now.  If you want to talk about it, we can talk after we take care of George.  My family is the only thing that I care about right now.  My happiness or whatever isn’t important.  No one really knows what I’ve been through and thank the gods for that.  Do you even know where we are right now?” Coraline replied.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Then, that is all you need to know,” Coraline told her cutting off any further conversation.

She didn’t want to be cruel.  She didn’t want to think about being alone with Will.  She knew exactly why Regina had sent Will with her.  She shook her head at the thought.  Her mother was just trying to help Coraline.  She was giving her companionship with the one person that she knew could possibly keep her in line…her True Love.  The problem with that was that Coraline had been specific to Belle about who got the antidote and Will was not among them.  She had her own personal reasons for it and one was being this mission.  She knew what she was going to ask of Regina earlier that afternoon in the throne room.  She’d known as soon as she knew that the children, the messengers from Ulfland, had arrived with their horrible tale and missing tongue.  She wanted George’s head on a platter and she wasn’t going to stop until she had it.

Will would try to stop her.  Regina knew.  Emma knew it.  Belle and Red knew it.  Will would be a distraction.  They’d planned it that way as soon as Belle saw the murderous look in her eyes.  Coraline realized that in that moment she’d underestimated the friendship between her mother and the Bookworm.  Belle hadn’t completely sold her out.  She’d just made sure that she wasn’t alone.  Will would be her conscience, something Belle knew that she might be lacking being the Dark One.  She was also someone that could temper her anger. 

Belle had tried arguing with her about the potion, but she’d stayed firm and even let it slip that if Will took it, she’d leave without her.  Hours, they had hours and they still found a way to put them together.  It might be destiny or fate or just the simple fact that they were each other’s True Love, but there seemed be a push from her family in that direction, too.  What was she missing?

“We should find a place to stay before it gets too dark,” Will said breaking her thoughts.

“Scared of the dark, Vulcannonian?” Coraline quipped.

“No, Dark One, I am not.”

Coraline’s head whipped around to face the warrior princess.  The fierce look in her blue eyes almost dared Coraline to say something in return, but Coraline was at a loss for words.  How the Hell could Wilhelmina know that she was the Dark One?

“Don’t fret.  They didn’t give me the potion.  They are afraid for you, of you and what you’ll possibly do.  They told me enough though, but obviously it wasn’t all of it.”

Coraline shook her head at the explanation.  Of course they would have told Will that she was the Dark One and their daughter.  They wanted her to be prepared for the darkness that might come from her, a darkness that she had spent lifetimes learning to control.  Immortality could be a royal bitch sometimes, but others it played right into her hands.

“So you know who I am, so what?” Coraline replied, trying to seem nonchalant about the whole ordeal and failing miserably.

She should have known that Will would still feel the connection. She should have seen it in her bright cobalt eyes hours ago when they left the castle, but she had chosen not to see it.  She’d chosen not to believe it, because believing that Will could somehow still love her even though she was the Dark One could melt her frozen heart.  She’d hid her emotions.  She learned to not feel because it was easier and it didn’t hurt as much. 

Days…hours…that was all it took for her parents to make her open up again.  And now with Will, she knew that soon her magic would be unpredictable and wild.  Sure they had done everything that they could on the night of their hand fasting, but it wasn’t enough to cure her completely.  The Darkness still raged inside her and she still had to make that choice every morning when she woke.  She still wondered if today would be the day that she finally succumb to the richness and ripeness of the great evil that was in her, or if Love would help her temper the Darkness raging within.  She never knew and that was her internal struggle.  She could never let them know about the absolute pain she went through, the mental anguish and fights that she dealt with in every situation, the want to destroy and the desire to build, to wonder if the passion she felt was good or bad, destructive or supportive, and to see the world in a bleak gray while never knowing if the black and white her mind fought was the absolution she was looking for.

No, she couldn’t dwell on that.  She had to move on.  It was the only way to survive.  She was the Survivor.  She’d survived this long on her own and she could do again.  Sure it was lonely, but at least she hadn’t lain waste to entire worlds.  It was safer.

Coraline stopped short.  She hadn’t realized how far they had ridden.  She looked around the desolate landscape. It was an obvious change from the lands of the Winterlands and Summerlands.  The vegetation was almost nonexistent and rocky terrain just added to its mystic and horror.  But, Coraline knew what the rest of her family didn’t.

“What is it?” Will asked pulling up beside her as she watched Coraline dismount and walk ahead of her horse.

Coraline didn’t answer.  Instead, she knelt down to the ground and ran her hand over the rocky soil.  She could feel the earth’s heat below her hand, but that wasn’t what she was looking for.  She could sense how close they were to George’s camp and his men.  She knew what was waiting for her just of the ridgeline. 

“There,” she pointed to a break between some crags.

“What about it?”

“That is where we are going,” Coraline told her as she mounted her horse and turned in that direction, not waiting for Will to comment on the idea.

The silence between them wasn’t as deafening as the silence that was surrounding them.  She knew that Will wanted to talk, but she could tell that her military training had taken over her bearing.  Coraline was thankful for that as they made their way through the pass.  She didn’t want to admit to herself that she was glad that Will was there with her. 

She knew that George had been moving steadily south since he sent word to the palace.  He wanted Regina to meet him on the battlefield.  He wanted to humiliate her.  But, he didn’t know about Coraline.  Hell, she was sure that he didn’t know about Red going to spy on him or even that Regina had a live Vulcannonian in her ranks.  The more Coraline thought about the vicious and stupid man that they were going to fight, the two of them against his army; the more she realized that he hadn’t been thinking when he started this campaign.  He hadn’t done his homework.  She was sure that he would have planned something against the Summerlands at the same time that he was attacking Regina, but they had gotten no word from Snow. 

She conjured two raven, quickly scrawled a message for both and then poofed them closer to their destinations.  She needed to make sure that they were still safe.  That somehow George hadn’t done this as a ploy to draw them out and leave them defenseless.

“You don’t need to worry.  I sent word to Snow before we left.  I ordered the men to be suited and stationed.  Emma closed the gates after we left.  The people are inside and safe.  They’ve taken precautions just in case George came around us.  I didn’t leave them without protection, Ser French.  I know my duties to the family and to the Queen,” Will told her.

“That may all be well and good, but we still haven’t received word from Snow.”

She just nodded her head as one of the ravens appeared near me.  I took the missive and waved the raven away.  Regina assured me that they were safe and that all necessary precautions had been taken at the advice of Wilhelmina as soon as we’d left.  Emma had seen to it personally.  It was enough to calm her for a while, but she was still worried about Snow and Charming.  The other raven appeared twenty minutes later.  It gave her the same report as Regina’s, but it was in Snow’s flowing script.  They were safe.  They were all safe and George had no idea what was coming for him.  A small, secret smile graced her face as she continued her journey through the pass, pushing her horse just enough to keep the rocks from sliding too much beneath them.

The other secret about Ulfland was the lush and dense forests that lay beyond the desolate mountains and crags that made up the kingdom’s border.  Coraline had scoured every inch of it with her Aunt Red after the Blackness had taken everything else from them.  Living in the Dark Kingdom, Rumple’s lands, gave them enough time to hide thanks to Rumple’s magic, but it also made them restless.  When they decided to push through the crags, they were both surprised to see the former dens of the Wolves that had lived there.  Coraline just hoped that she was right and that she could convince them to follow her against George.  Two against an army just didn’t seem fair, for either side, and Coraline more or less wanted to make a statement.

Three hours later when she heard Will’s gasp as they were coming out of the range and into a dense forest, she knew that they were close to not only George, but the Wolves’ den.  She dismounted.  She looked around the area until she saw a small disturbance.  She handed Will her reins and then walked over to it.  Drawing her sword, she thrust it into the disturbed earth and knelt behind it.  She then threw her arms out to her sides, palms up, and waited.

“Who are you?” a growl came from the woods.  “You smell like one of us, but you aren’t.  Who are you?  What business do you have with the Ulf?”

“I am the pup of Red, the Queen’s favorite and your lost sister!” Coraline yelled back.

“Red has no kin, besides her Granny,” the voice replied.

“She does.  That night behind me is her cousin and a Vulcannonian.  She can faze, but I am three quarters human.  The wolf didn’t take with me.  I cannot turn without the aid of magic, which I do possess,” Coraline stated.

“What do you want, Hairless Pup?” the voice demanded.

“To talk.”

“Then talk,” the voice stated as a dark tan man with bright golden eyes walked into the clearing.

“There is a man who has brought an army through the lands of the Ulf.  He is not Ulf, nor does he have permission to be here.  He sent two Ulf’s to Regina, one without a tongue to give her a message,” Coraline told him.

“And, what was it, Hairless Pup?”

“To surrender to him all her lands and declare him her King,” Coraline answer.

“I take it that the good Queen Regina refused,” the wolf-man stated.

“She did.”

“And, you are her refusal?”

“I am.”

“Then what does my Queen need with us?” he asked her bowing to her like one would to emissary for a foreign leader.

“I am Ser Coraline Danielle French, daughter of Little Red, daughter of Hoodwin the Elder of Ulf, friend to all Ulf and knight to the Swan Kingdoms.  On behalf of Queen Regina, Queen Emma, and Queen Snow, I beseech your help in defeating the wannabe usurper, King George.  He is already trespassing on your lands.  He had already destroyed the border town of Faolan.”

“What would you like us to do?” he questioned as more Wolves came from the forest.

“Will you run with us?  Fight beside us?  We are taking the fight to him.  The Queens of the Swan Kingdoms will reward you handsomely if you do,” Coraline offered.

“What?  What will the Swan Queens give us?  All humans just want our lands, our hunting grounds.  What will they give us?”

“I will see to it that she names Little Red your queen.  She will protect these lands like she outlawed the hunting of Wolves in her kingdom many years ago, when Hoodwin was still alive.  You will not have to live in fear of persecution or death.  Red will see to it,” she told them.

“And what would we want with a Wolf killer as our Queen?” he asked.

“She is my Alpha!” Will bellowed the declaration as she dismounted.

The golden eyes of the wolf-man followed her.  He could smell the Wolf in her.  It was faint but it was there.  He knew that she didn’t turn like they did because of her Vulcannonian blood.  She wasn’t subject to the moon and Wolf’s time.  She could freely faze like Brannonulf of old.

“We will follow you, then,” he said bowing his head.

“Wolves…” Coraline muttered as she grabbed her sword, sheathed, and mounted her horse.

“Why?” Will asked him as more and more Wolves poured out of the forest behind the horses.

“Because you are from the Brannonulf and Red is your Alpha,” he replied like it answered everything that Will wanted to know.

Once they were far enough away and back on the trail of George, Coraline pulled up short to allow Will to catch up.  Will had been thinking ever sense they got the Wolves to join them.  With the order to flank George in every direction, the Wolves had run off to find his hidden camp, leaving the golden-eyed tawny wolf-man with them as they rode onward.

“What is it?” Will asked her again as she neared.

“Do you know what the Brannonulf are?”

“No.”

“Wolf royalty…like Vulcannonian they have a strange mating practice.  Pure bloods generally mate with pure bloods and it is for life.  But the Brannonulf can mate with whomever they wish and the pack can’t question it.  They are the original Alphas of the Ulf.  You and Ruby are both descendants of that bloodline.  As soon as you declared that Red was your Alpha, they had no choice but to obey.  Their inner Wolf wouldn’t let them disobey.”

“So, they’ll follow me?”

“Like a private Army any time you ask or if Red commands it,” Coraline told her.

“You knew that they were here, didn’t you?”

“Red and I found them hiding when I was younger.  I hoped that all the stories and legends that they told me were true and that they were still in their dens.  The Ulf are more pure blooded than you or Red, but if a Brannonulf comes back….” Coraline started.

“They have to obey their Alphas,” Will finished when she realized what Coraline had done.

“The different clans of Wolf will join swear allegiance to the Swan Queens if Red desires it.  From what I understand, you two are the last of the Brannonulf lines that are still alive.  If Regina names Red their Queen, they will have the entire backing of the Swan Kingdoms to help them and they in turn will help the Swan Kingdoms.  We have just made an ally for life.  As long as Red has a pup that can faze, they will have an Alpha of Brannonulf blood.”

“But, Belle….”

“Has enough magic to produce a pup when they want.  It is just up to them to do it.  Besides with Regina’s laws against hunting Wolves, the Ulf will stand with us regardless.  Giving them their autonomy within the federation of the Swan Kingdoms will allow them to thrive without fear.”

“Why would they need that?”

“We need each other,” Coraline told her, ending the conversation.

She pulled ahead.  Will stopped and watched her ride away, realizing that the closer they were getting to George the more agitated that Coraline was becoming.  She knew that Coraline was right to ask for help.  She may not know what happened completely to the “newest” offspring, but she knew that whatever Coraline was planning it was something big and it was something that she felt was needed in order to ensure the survival of the Swan Kingdoms.  She would back her play for now, but she would have a serious discussion with Regina about it later. 

Coraline looked up to the sky and saw the twilight falling.  She knew that they were nearing the encampment that George had made.  She wondered if the Wolves would attack tonight if she ordered it, but Coraline didn’t want to waste the night.  She wanted to plan and attack in the morning.  She wanted to see him when she killed him. 

She knew that the Darkness was going to win in this instance.  She wasn’t going to stop it.  She was going to unleash Hell on the man that had threatened her family and done so much to them over the years.  She was going to end him.  And, when she was done, she would present his head to her mothers as sign that she had completed her mission.

She could feel the anger building.  She could feel her hatred burning.  And, for once she didn’t care.  She knew that with this one single act she would be destroying over three hundred fifty years of soul searching.  She saw it as an ends to a means.  It was necessary in her eyes in order to protect her family.  She no longer saw herself as the fabled Survivor.  No, she was the Protector.  She would do whatever it took to keep them alive and happy.  She would make that sacrifice, if only to ensure that Remy grew up loved and with her mothers. 

She knew that her life was over as soon as she saw the young dark-haired child with green eyes.  She’d effectively changed her entire fate.  No longer was the brown-eyed daughter of the queens whose hair would turn blond the longer it got.  No, Coraline’s timeline no longer existed and no Remy was in her place.  She wasn’t bitter about it.  She was happy because she knew that Remy wouldn’t grow up to be her.  She’d stopped it.  She’d given up her heart, her life, and accepted the Darkness in order to do it.  And, she’d gladly do it again.

The golden-eyed wolf-man trotted out of the wood line and up to her as she knelt by a hole she didn’t remember digging.  He dropped some wood in it and she lit it like they has discussed building the fire.  She looked into his eyes but saw nothing.  She looked across the fire to where Will was sitting, watching her.  She watched as the fledging fire’s flames moved causing shadows to dance across her face.  When her eyes locked on the cerulean blue orbs of Wilhelmina, Coraline felt her throat constrict and her heart beat harder.  When she gazed into the depths of Will’s eyes, she saw everything and anything all at once.  She knew that Will might not understand it, but she did.  She knew what that look meant and what it would give her, but she no longer felt like she was worthy of such.

Barely audible and just above a whisper, Coraline told her, “I release you.”

The light that had been shining behind Will’s eyes faded, but her gaze didn’t break.  Coraline knew that her heart would be broken again once this venture was over.  And it was in that thought that she realized why she was the Survivor.  She was never meant to have her family or a happy ending.  She was meant to be always struggling to find it.  It wasn’t a punishment that she was handed.  It was what the powers that be decided she would have.  No matter how much she rebelled against, no matter how much she tried to change it, and no matter how many times she went back to fix things, she would always end up leaving. 

She stood up and headed into the woods.  The golden-eyed wolf-man followed her.  There was nothing said between them.  There didn’t need to be.  This wasn’t something that they were both seeking to continue past the morning light.  This was just an expulsion of rage and passion.  This wasn’t love.  It was sex, but it was more than that.  It was just purely fucking and she was okay with that.  She didn’t love him.  She couldn’t.  Her heart would always belong to Will.

Will watched them go.  She could guess what was going to be happening just outside their little camp, but wat she couldn’t explain was why it hurt her so much.  Every time she’d looked into Coraline’s eyes since they left the castle, she saw something new.  The longer they were together the more she felt this odd connection to her.  She was drawn to her.  It was almost like a physical need that she couldn’t explain and for the life her, all she wanted to do was kiss her.  Well that was until Coraline had mumbled something from the other side of the fire and went off with the wolf.  She felt like her hear was breaking and she didn’t know why. 

Coraline was only gone for a few minutes before she returned, clothes disheveled and hair mussed up.  Will felt her heart drop again, but there was no pain this time.  The longing had started to subside and want to be near her was dissipating.  Or, so she thought that it was until Coraline came over to sit beside her to go over the plan for the morning.  When Coraline sat on the stump near her, Will could swear that she could hear her heart beat in time with Coraline’s.

“Feel better?” she asked her.

“Somewhat.”

“What did you say to me earlier?”

“When?”

“Before your rendezvous,” Will stated.

“It isn’t important.”

“It must be,” Will told her.

“Why?”

“Because you won’t say it again.  To me that means that it was important, but also secret.  What is it about us that you don’t want me to remember?”

“I release you,” Coraline stated, feeling the magic flow from her body and into Will’s this time.

“Release me from what?”

“Your bond to me…”


	64. Chapter 64

Coraline was standing by the makeshift fire pit.  The day was breaking just over the horizon.  She took in a deep breath and held it.  She wanted to greet the day in peace, but of course, fate had other ideas.  She took another deep breath.  She drew the sword at her side and made sure that it would draw easily as she rode off into battle. She walked over to her horse.  She checked the swords there.  Then she grabbed her lance and mounted the horse.  She was about to ride away from the clearing when she heard Will behind her.

“Leaving without me?” Will asked, walking up towards Coraline with her horse trailing behind her, reins in hand, ready for battle, too.

“Yes,” Coraline stated truthfully.

She wanted to do this alone.  She would survive it.  She could do what had to be done.  She wanted to do this because she thought that she had to do it alone.  They wouldn’t understand her reasoning or her methods. 

“Do you think that they don’t want you?” Will asked her as she mounted her horse to follow.

“I know that do, that’s the problem,” Coraline replied, trotting away as her mind wandered.

_Her body contorted in pain.  She was acutely aware of what was going on.  Her chest was on fire, but she could call out for help.  There was no getting away from it.  She knew that her heart was gone and that she had Neal’s now.  She could feel her body accepting the half-heart.  She could sense her mothers and Belle and Ruby in the room.  Her magic called out for them, but it was blocked by something._

_She tried to open her eyes, but she couldn’t.  Her body felt heavy and tired.  It wouldn’t listen to her commands.  Her back arched in an inhuman movement.  A scream tore from her throat._

_“BLUE!!!!!!!!!” she heard one of her mother’s scream._

_This was a dream.  It had to be a dream.  There was no way that the Darkness could cause this much pain.  She’d already fought it.  She’d let the love of her family fill her.  This was not how this was supposed to happen._

_She could hear mumbles in the background.  She couldn’t make out what anyone was saying.  Everything was muffled.  It didn’t matter how much she tried to concentrate on one voice and pull it out of the abyss that was surrounding her.  She couldn’t focus on any of them._

“How is that a problem?” Will asked catching up to her.

“Because they can’t let me go when they need to.  They will fight beyond the need and they don’t understand that I don’t need to be there for them to understand their love.  Don’t get me wrong, I love them with my entire being, but that doesn’t stop the Darkness within.  I am the Dark One.  I am no longer meant to have a family.  It is part of the Curse.”

“But, I thought that they would help you deal with that,” Will stated.

“They tried.”

“And?”

“There is nothing that can cure this Curse except death,” Coraline told her.

She heard Will gasp at the knowledge she was giving her.  It was the truth.  She knew that Regina and Emma had exhausted every avenue that they could.  She was proud of them for trying but there was still nothing that they could do to stop it.  She was special in the fact that she wasn’t tethered to the dagger, but she still couldn’t escape the fact that she still had the darkest and most evil of all magics flowing through her. 

“Does Regina know?” Will asked her.

“Of course she does.  I wouldn’t keep something like that from her.  But, it doesn’t matter.  There is nothing that they can do for me,” Coraline replied.

“Sure there is,” Will told her.

“Like what?”

“They can love you,” Will said like it was the most obvious answer.

_“She’s still fighting the Darkness.”_

_“Do you think she’ll wake soon?”_

_“I have no idea, Regina.  It is all up to her, now.  We have to wait on Coraline.”_

_“She told us to give her three days,” Red added._

_“We will wait,” Regina replied._

_“For how long?” Belle asked, worried that Regina wouldn’t do as Coraline asked._

_“As long as it takes,” Regina answered._

_Coraline felt her body recoil at her mother’s answer.  Regina just wouldn’t stop.  The hand fasting ceremony gave them a new birth of hope.  They were holding on to the fact that their love for their daughter would be enough.  Coraline hoped it would be too, but she knew that she also had the love Charming and Snow, along with the love of Belle and Red, inside her now._

_The dreams that she was having in the moments of non-clarity were dark and depressing.  Some of them made her want to kill herself.  If this is what the sleeping curse was like, then she didn’t want to ever cast one on someone.  She’d read the journals that Henry and Snow had written.  She couldn’t imagine being in that Hell, but now, she was in one anyway._

“Why can’t you just accept that they love you and want to help you?”

“Because I can’t be helped,” Coraline hissed at her.

“Why not?”

“Because I am the God-damned Dark One.  There is no help for an evil as pure as mine.  The fact that I let anyone around me live is because I want it.  There is nothing good about me except that little girl who has taken my place amongst them.  I gave her that life.  I gave her the future that I wasn’t allowed to have,” Coraline explained.

“You are going to kill him, aren’t you?” Will asked, suddenly frightened of her.

“Well, I wasn’t told to bring him home alive, was I?” Coraline questioned meeting her eyes.

There was a silent war between them.  Will wasn’t sure how to proceed with the information that she had about Regina’s daughter.  She wanted to protect the family as much as Coraline did, but there were lines that even she didn’t cross.  She knew that she could take the punishments that Regina dished out, but she wasn’t sure that she could stop Coraline from committing murder.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you feel like you have to kill him?”

“Because he deserves it.”

“Who made you like this?” Will inquired quietly.

Coraline stopped short.  Her eyes were pure fire.  Will could actually see purple and green flames burning in her darkened eyes.  But, there was more than hatred.  Will couldn’t name it, but she wanted to.  There was just something about her that Will couldn’t shake.  Coraline felt incomplete to her and she didn’t understand why.  She’d felt incomplete for years herself.  She didn’t know how to help her, but she felt like she wanted to.  She had to suppress the urge to reach over and take Coraline into arms, promising that everything would be okay.  She didn’t know that.  No one did, except the Dark One….

_“There has to be something else that we can, Blue,” Regina demanded._

_“This is her fight.  You can’t do it for her.  She willingly took every ounce of True Love that you gave.  She took from three True Love relationships.  Triple the threat against the Darkness.  If anyone can handle that, it is Coraline.  You just have to have faith in her.”_

_“I do.”_

_“Then talk to her.”_

_“And, tell her what?” Regina asked, her voice broken and full of worry._

_“Tell her how much you love her.  Let her know that you aren’t going to abandon her no matter what she does.  She needs to know that she’ll always have a home with you,” Blue instructed._

_Regina just nodded.  Her entire body screamed out for her daughter.  She would give up her magic if she knew that it would heal that half-heart and bring Coraline back to her.  She could reconcile that she had two daughters.  One would be Remy and the other Coraline.  She wasn’t willing to give her up._

_Belle was on the other side of the room.  Her heart ached and she couldn’t voice the pain.  Somehow when Coraline gave her magic, their hearts combined in a sisterhood of sorts.  Belle would always know the pain that Coraline felt and would still recognize her no matter what.  She wouldn’t forget.  She couldn’t forget the woman that she wouldn’t be raising that she thought of as a little sister.  She would only know that woman before her that sacrificed her own well-being in order to give the entire town a chance at happiness._

_Blue eyes met brown and held.  Regina wanted to say something but she was unsure of what to do.  It had already been two days.  They both knew that Ruby had been staying away because she was still preparing the well to be her tomb.  Belle already had the potion ready.  She’d add to the water supply later.  And, she’d monitor the town to make sure that everyone got enough of a dose to erase Coraline from their memories.  Regina just nodded at her.  She knew that the mayor knew of the plan.  The only wild card was Emma, but with her nod, Regina accepted that responsibility.  They only had one more day.  If Coraline would just awake, they could…_

_“Is Ruby ready?” Regina asked._

_“Yes.”_

_“Are you?”_

_“Yes,” she answered the Mayor just above a whisper._

_“I won’t be angry.”_

_“I know.”_

_“This is what she wanted.”_

_“I know.”_

_“I just love her so much.”_

_“We all do.”_

_“I’ve barely had six months with her and I have to let her go…”_

_“But, you’ll have her again soon in your arms as a babe,” Belle told her._

_“I know.”_

_“She’s giving us all another chance at this.”_

_“That isn’t making losing her like this any easier.”_

_“I know.”_

_“I thought that love, True Love was the most powerful magic there is,” Regina stated._

_“It is.”_

_“Then why isn’t working?”_

_“I don’t know.”_

They could smell the early morning fires burning in George’s camp.  The smells of food and dirty men flowed through the woods and across the small field that George had decided to make camp in.  They were surrounded and didn’t even know it.  He had never been the greatest strategist, but this was just plain stupidity.

“Do you think he knows were coming?”

“I don’t know,” Coraline answered.

“Call for the attack?”

“He’s mine!” Coraline bellowed as she dropped the lance into a fighting position and charged the field before her.

They didn’t stand a chance.  They weren’t ready.  These men weren’t knights or soldiers.  They were peasants that for some foolish reason decided to follow George to their deaths. 

Her lance struck through several men before sticking in one and breaking.  She screamed in frustration.  She still couldn’t see his tent.  Men were running around, scrambling to their arms and armor.  The Wolves were on the outskirts keeping them rounded up.  It was like shooting fish in a barrel.  Easy pickings, one by one, they fell.

She drew one of the short swords on the side of her saddle and proceeded to hack her way through the growing throng of men. Finally she saw George.  The old grey royal stood surrounded by what was left of his royal guard, older men that couldn’t see that his rule was over and so far gone. 

“COWARD!!!” she yelled as she kicked her gelding into full gallop, rushing him.

Will stood by watching, defending herself, as Coraline charged full tilt.  She screamed out for the Knight as she saw the lance rise at the last possible moment.  She knew that Coraline couldn’t stop.  There was no way without magic and Coraline didn’t seem to be a sorceress to do that.  Her horse broke on the lance and she was flung over the horse’s head. 

Will saw her hit the ground hard.  Her heart lurched at the sight.  She drew her sword, cutting down all the men around her.  She started to run straight for her.  As she climbed over bodies, mud, muck and gore, she reached George and Coraline.

Coraline was bloody, beaten, and breathing hard, but she could see the Darkness in her eyes.  They had completely gone black.  There was no color.  There was no emotion.  And, then she spoke.  Will felt her skin crawl as she slowly walked closer, hoping to stop her from killing him.

“You dared attack my mother’s people,” she hissed at him.

Will could see a bit of spittle fly from her mouth and land on his face.  She had him by the collar of his tunic with her left hand.  In her right she had her sword lifted and the tip in his throat.  It wouldn’t take much more for it to pierce the skin and sink through.  Will knew that she had to be careful in how she approached this.

_They were pacing.  Regina knew that they had to do this.  She had to let her go.  This was Coraline’s battle.  She’d known that from the beginning, but now that it was time…she couldn’t do it.  She couldn’t let her go.  She couldn’t tell the town that she died to save them.  She couldn’t let her be the martyr.  It wasn’t her job.  If anyone should have died, it should have been her.  She had done so much evil.  Her child shouldn’t have been the one to pay for her deeds._

_The tears were nonstop.  Emma tried to comfort her, but even she didn’t know what to do.  She blamed herself for this.  She felt like she should have done something more.  She was literally made of magic and she should have been able to save her own daughter from the Darkness.  It wasn’t fair.  Her daughter shouldn’t have had to come back to them in order to save them from a dark future.  Emma vowed as she watched Coraline’s breathing become more and more labored that Remy and the townsfolk would never be unprepared for anything again.  She’d get with Will and they would start a militia, magical and non-magical.  They weren’t going to get caught with their pants down again.  Emma would make sure of it._

_“I won’t let your life be in vain,” she told her daughter as she kissed her forehead._

_The tears grew as sobs racked everyone in that room.  Blue and Tink weren’t immune to the growing sadness.  True to their words, they continued to pull darkness from Coraline’s body, but even they knew it wasn’t enough.  She was now the embodiment of the root of evil.  It didn’t matter how much they pulled out of her.  She would still succumb if the True Love magic didn’t stop it.  Blue watched as they all began to lose faith._

_“I will never forget you, my friend,” Tink told her._

_Regina broke.  She fell beside the bed of her daughter, gripping her hand, willing Coraline to wake and live.  Every time that Emma tried to move her, she would just go back.  Snow tried to talk with her, but Regina wouldn’t budge.  No one blamed her, but no one wanted Coraline’s last thoughts to be about her crying mother._

_“I will never let you go, again,” Regina vowed, letting go of Coraline’s hand and rubbing her protruding stomach.  “I love you.”_

_A bright light flew through the room.  It circled Regina and then Coraline.  Tears still continued to fall.  Her breathing became shallower.  Belle stepped forward and laid a hand on Regina’s shoulder.  Three days had come and gone.  It was time._

_“Regina…”_

_“I want to go with you,” she mumbled._

_“I’ll tell Ruby,” Belle replied._

_And, they watched as Coraline’s body drew its last breath.  The collective sobs could be heard in town as wailing began in that room and flowed into town.  As Ruby came to collect the body, Belle was the only one who knew that Coraline wasn’t completely dead.  Her magic and her body had to find a way to make Neal’s heart whole, but she couldn’t do that in the Realm with no Magic.  She needed the Forest to heal her._

“You are the reason for so many disappointments in my life,” she spit at him.

His eyes went wide.  He had no idea who she was or why she was there.  She knew that and she didn’t care.  She didn’t need to introduce herself to him in order to kill him…cold blood or not.

“My grandfather defeated you.  My mother cut you off and sent you away.  But, yet, you still keep coming.  You are not my blood.  You are nothing to me but bug that doesn’t know your place.  But, you will soon, in the depths of Hell.”

Will was too late.  She plunged the sword through his throat.  She kicked him in the chest to get him off her blade.  She then spun around and decapitated him.  There was never an explanation.  There was never a chance to beg for mercy.  His fate had been sealed back in the Winterlands when she saw that boy without his tongue.

She picked up his head.  Looking at the deathly parlor, she ripped his cloak from his body.  She wrapped his head up in it and walked over to his gleaming white horse.  She tied the bundle off on it and then returned to his body.  She wiped her sword off on his tunic and sheathed it.

The golden-eyed wolf-man joined them.  He was covered in blood and guts.  He stood beside her and waited for her to say something to him.

“You can do what you want with the bodies.  They are of no consequence to me.  Eat them.  Burn them.  It doesn’t matter.  I have what I came for,” Coraline told him before looking for her fallen steed amongst the bodies.

“Will I see you again?” he asked her.

“No.”

She didn’t give him time to respond.  She grabbed the arms and food.  She dug around until she found the royal standard for the kingdom.  She walked calmly and without any reservation back to the gleaming white horse of George.  She attached everything to the stutter-stepping horse.

She looked around the battleground.  She no longer had a lance to raise the colors on.  She needed something.  When she didn’t find what she was looking for, she walked around until she found her lance.  She magically fixed it, cleaned, and prepared it for the standard.  She crossed the grounds again.  She attached the standard to the lance, mounted the horse, and rode away.  She didn’t wait.  She didn’t care.  Her mission was over.

Will just stood there, wordlessly, and watched her go.  Part of her ached to follow her, but she didn’t know if she could.  She had just watched her kill the former king with no remorse.  Was this what Regina was scared of? 

_They were at the edge of town at the well.  Regina and Belle stood by stoically as Ruby held Coraline’s body.  Regina had wanted to prepare it, but Belle wouldn’t let her._

_Belle didn’t know how she could go through with this.  She was the only one who could see the faint rise and fall of Coraline’s chest.  She was the only one who would hear the distant heart beat if she’d put her ear to her chest.  Belle was the only one amongst them that knew that she was still alive and fighting.  She deployed the potion in the early morning, before Regina had come to the Abbey to collect Coraline for the burial.  It would be starting just after breakfast as the sun crested over the trees of Storybrooke’s resident forest._

_Coraline had known that her fight was going to be a long one and possible a losing battle.  That is why she chose each of them to have a different part in her farewell.  She knew that she couldn’t be around them as she continued the struggle against the Darkness.  She hadn’t wanted her family to see how it was going to tear her apart and destroy her on a daily basis.  She knew that if they saw it, that she would stop fighting if only to end their misery.  In turn, she would become dark and destroy them instead.  It was a no win situation.  Either they thought that she died or she would end up killing them all.  She picked the lesser of the two evils._

_She felt weightless as her body floated over the well’s opening.  She could sense Ruby, Belle and Regina.  She wondered if they were actually going to do it._

_“Geppetto did good work,” Belle told Ruby._

_“He did considering the timeline we gave him.”_

_Regina had silent tears flowing down her face.  She looked from her sister to her newest friend.  How had they come to this?  How had everything gone so wrong that they were burying her daughter in the magical well outside of town?  Where had she gone wrong?_

_“This isn’t your fault, Regina,” Belle told her._

_“Then whose is it?”_

_“No ones.  Coraline knew the risks of taking on the Darkness and she still chose to fight it.  That is a sign of strength, Regina.  You should be proud of her.  She stood up against it and defeated it.  She may have become a martyr, but it doesn’t matter,” Belle stated._

_“Why not?” Regina asked, raging rising._

_“Because you are pregnant with her.”_

_Regina felt herself deflate.  She knew that Belle was right.  Coraline had come back to make sure that her life wasn’t as hard.  She was paving a better tomorrow with her death.  It was a strange paradox that she had to sacrifice herself in order to keep a loving home and a happy childhood._

_Regina felt her sobs start to stop.  She rubbed her pregnant belly and promised herself that she would never let Remy want for love.  They would love her so much that she wouldn’t know anything about hatred or evil, if Regina could help it._

_“We will all love her to pieces,” Belle stated._

_Regina nodded.  Ruby lifted Coraline’s body a little more until she was sitting on the ledge.  They all looked down into the well.  They could see the bottom.  It was still full of water.  Belle dropped another potion into the well._

_They watched as the potion and the magical waters merged. The swirling magic turned a faint purple.  Regina looked to Belle, wondering what she had done._

_“She asked for this.  Please drink this, Regina,” Belle said handing her a small vial.  She waited until Regina drank it and passed out before she told her, “I’m sorry.”_

_“Now?” Ruby asked her._

_“Now.”_

_Ruby eased Coraline’s body further over the ledge and into the well.  She held her just under her arms so she would fall through the portal feet first.  Ruby and Belle both leaned over and kissed Coraline’s head.  Her eyes shot open full of venom and darkness._

_“Forgive me, Coraline.  I love you.  Godspeed.  Now, Ruby, let her go,” Belle commanded._

_Ruby pulled her hands back and watched Coraline fell through the portal.  The magic engulfed her pulling her further and further until there was nothing to see but purple swirling water.  Belle backed away from the well and fell to the ground.  Her heart felt broken in two._

_Ruby reached over for the cap and lifted it into place.  She sealed the well with metal and concrete.  When she was done, she went to Belle, who stood and sealed the well with magic.  Once she was happy with everything, they picked up Regina and headed back to town.  Now, they would attend the memorial service of Remy Swan.  The potion would kick in and they would move on until Coraline came back to them._

_Belle looked at the clock tower.  It had stopped again.  She wondered what it meant, but didn’t ponder it too much.  Tomorrow was another day and she was going to have to spend the night removing all traces of her sister from the town.  No one could ever know what happened._

She rode into the castle like Caesar into Rome.  Her head was held high.  There was no worry on her face.  She had killed a man like it was nothing because for her it was nothing.

She stopped at a rail and dismounted.  She heard the clop, clop of Will’s horse behind her.  She didn’t wait.  She bounded up the stairs and entered the castle major.  She headed straight for the throne room.  She needed to get this over with and see what her mothers would do to her.

She entered the throne room.  Inside she saw Snow and Charming one side with a ten year old Neal.  She smiled at the young blond boy and knew that her heart had kept him safe when they came back.  She looked over and saw that Ruby and Belle were together.  And for once, everyone could tell that Belle was pregnant again.  Young Danielle, whom Coraline had yet to actually meet, was standing off to the side with a very tall Price Henry.  He eyed her but smiled, realizing that the badass heroine of his favorite stories was actually his baby sister.  He actually saluted her.  She couldn’t help but smile back at him. 

As she neared the dais, she noticed that the court had gone quiet.  She didn’t care.  She marched towards her mothers, grotesque sack of head in her hands, and kneeled before them. 

Regina stood and walked down towards her.  She held out the cloak wrapped head for her, not bothering with any announcing or explanations.  She just handed it to her.  Regina took it with a steady hand and touched her shoulder.  Coraline lifted her head and met her mother’s eyes.  Mahogany warred with her black.  She knew then that Regina could see the Darkness surfacing and she was afraid.

“You were only gone two days,” Regina stated.

“It was all I needed.”

“And, Will?”

“Is finishing up a diplomatic mission with the Ulf,” Coraline stated.

“The Ulf?”

“They have sworn allegiance to the Swan Kingdoms,” Coraline declared.

“You found the Ulf.”

“Yes.”

“And they swore to us?”

“Yes.”

“Why?” Regina asked.

“Because of your laws against hunting them and Red is their Alpha.”

There was a collective gasp amongst the peerage.  Red was a well-known Alpha, but for the Ulf to lay claim to her, she must be royalty in her own right.  By now, it had gotten out that she was the bastard half-sister to Regina.  Red was loyal.  She would never make a play for the throne, any of them, and the people all knew it.  It was another reason they loved the Wolf.

“What are their terms?” Regina asked slowly, still holding the cloaked without knowing it.

“That you allow Red to be their Queen and join the federation.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes,” Coraline answered.

Regina turned to her scribe.  She nodded and he notated all that Coraline had said into the record.  She would talk with Red about it later.  She would give her the option.  Ulfland was so close to the Dark Kingdom of Rumple’s that it would be advantageous for them if she would take their throne.  It would bring them one step closer to bring peace to the masses.

“What is this?”

“Proof,” Coraline stated quickly.

“Do I want to know?”

“That I cannot answer, my Queen,” Coraline told her as she slammed a fist to her breast in salute, bowing her head as well.

Regina pulled one side back just enough to see what was in the bundle.  The horrified look on her face brought Belle to the dais.  She took the bundle, looked inside then waved over a page.  She bent down and whispered into his ear before shooing him out the room with bundle.

“It’s over?”

“Completely.”

“And, that was the only course of action that you could take.”

“It was.”

Regina looked up then to see Will behind her.  She could see the worry and the fear on Will’s face.  Regina’s fears had come true.  Her past had come back to haunt her in the form of her daughter.  Her daughter had taken her punishment for her and was now the Dark One.  Regina didn’t know what to do.  If she threw her newly knighted daughter out of the kingdoms, surely Coraline would cause some sort of backlash.  If she kept her, she didn’t know that she could rein her back in once the darkness surfaced. 

“Well, good job, Ser French.  Please take your leave and rest.  I am sure that you deserve it.”

Coraline nodded at her mother and left the room.  Will approached slowly, with the principle of taking her place behind Regina.  She knew that Regina knew more than she was letting on, but she was still Regina’s Vulcannonian and under contract.  She couldn’t contradict in her court.  She would wait for a private moment.

_Belle looked around the gymnasium.  She was surprised to see that many people there.  She knew that Regina wasn’t their favorite person, but she supported the town and kept it prosperous.  They owed her for that.  She helped save them from the Darkness and the Dark One, again.  The least that they could do was give their condolences about her magical, future daughter._

_One by one the people came by and wished her well.  They apologized for her loss.  When they had all had their chance, Belle went to the refreshment table.  She grabbed a glass.  She walked up to the mic._

_“I would like to propose a toast.”_

_Everyone stopped and turned to look at the small woman.  Those that didn’t have a glass got one quickly.  Belle searched the crowd until she found Emma and Regina, together, with Henry._

_“To the woman who saved us.  To Coraline, Emma and Regina’s daughter!”_

_The crowd erupted into cheers and drank a healthy amount from their glasses.  Belle saw the spell starting to take effect.  She knew that they needed more._

_“To Wilhelmina, daughter of Pyroxes of Vulcannonian, defender of our Queen Regina!!!”_

_More cheers.  More drinks.  More of the spell released.  She realized that no one knew why they were gathered there anymore.  The room wasn’t one of mourning.  It was a celebration and to make it seem more like one._

_“To Regina and Emma, bless your coming wedding and child.  To our Queen and Princess.  To the Sheriff and Mayor!!!”_

_This time the room erupted into a raucous.  No one could hear themselves think much less remember that they were there to celebrate a loss, not the happiness of a coming life.  It was the perfect cover.  Slowly the townsfolk made their way to the happy couple, congratulating them on their coming nuptials and Regina’s magical pregnancy.  No one seemed to care.  They were all happy and that was how it should be._

_Only when Belle looked around the room, she noticed the one thing that was missing._

_“Come back to us, Coraline,” she said under her breath and finished her drink, hoping to forget._

“Belle?”

“Yes, Regina?”

“What am I supposed to do with her?” Regina asked her.

“Love her.”

Will took that moment to lean forward.  She needed to talk to them.  She needed to know what she could do to protect the family from Coraline.  She didn’t want to be in that position, especially knowing that she was Regina and Emma’s daughter, but she didn’t see any other choice at the moment.  Coraline was a loose cannon.  She wanted to be prepared.

“What do you think, Will?” Regina asked her, being pulled into the conversation before she could question them.

“I think that the Darkness is still strong in her.  She can tap it at will, but she doesn’t have a firm enough control on it.  Or, she may have some trigger.  I don’t know what it is, but she is dangerous.  I am not sure how far I could trust her on the battlefield if she was needed.”

“Is she ruthless?” Regina asked.

“Yes, she is.  But, she is also methodically and quick in her carnage.  No a single man she struck down suffered.  She made sure that they died quickly.  It was a small relief to see, but the amount of death that she wrought on that field.  It was almost instantaneous and very unnecessary.”

“I see.”

“I don’t think you do, my Queen.”

“What do you mean?” Belle asked, noting the edge in Will’s voice.

“Who is she to me?”

“What are you asking?”

“There is some connection between us.  I can feel it.  I know that she can, too.  What haven’t you told me about her?  What happened to us in Storybrooke?  What don’t I know?” Will questioned.

Regina sighed.  She was about to tell Will everything when Belle touched her shoulder.  Regina stopped and let Belle lead the conversation.

“What did she say to you?” Belle inquired.

“The night before the battle, she told me that she released me.”

“Did you feel anything when she said it?” Regina asked, concern coloring her voice.

“My heart dropped.  I felt like it broke, but there was no pain.  It was like a ghost or an idea was just gone from my heart and I was able to move on without any issues.  I couldn’t explain it.”

“What else?”

“I’d felt closer to her the longer we rode.  There was a magnetism between us until last night.  Then there was nothing.  I didn’t feel anything for her.  She was just a curiosity for me and someone that I needed to watch because those were my orders from the Queen.”

Regina rubbed her face.  Coraline was breaking ties.  She knew that she couldn’t control the Darkness.  She’d come home to let them know that she was still alive, but Regina had a feeling that she was going to run away again.  Coraline had come home to prove that she could control the Darkness and she’d failed.  She would go away again until she felt in control and then she would come back.  She knew, because it was what she would do.

“Wilhelmina, I release you from your contract to this throne,” Regina said quickly.

She looked into the two sets of brilliant blue eyes before her.  She gave them a weak smiled.  She knew what she had to do.  She just hoped that she wasn’t too late.

“Will, you are her True Love.  You imprinted on her in Boston and brought her home to us.  I held you back because I wasn’t sure that you were the right person for her.  But, I was wrong.  You two are perfect for her.  You compliment her and your challenge her.  You are her other half.  What you felt in that field was her breaking the True Love bond between you.  She did it magically and if you can find her and kiss her, the bond will start over.  You are her soul mate.”

Will looked perfectly aghast at the thought.  She didn’t want to be in love, but she couldn’t explain her sudden need to find Coraline.  She nodded at Regina and left the throne room.

“Regina, you realize that you just gave a Vulcannonian Princess your blessing to court your daughter and love her completely?” Belle asked.

“I do.”

“You will never cease to surprise me, my Queen.”

“And, you won’t either, my Bookworm.”

They hugged.  Having grown together over the past few years, Belle knew that there was more. She didn’t want to push.  She would wait for Regina to tell her.

“Belle?”

“Yes, Regina,” she replied.

“Coraline is closer to you and Red than she will ever be to me and Emma.  I understand it even if I don’t like it.  I need to know that you will support her, even if it is against me,” Regina stated.

“I always have,” Belle said.

“I know.  But, can you still?  Did you see the Darkness in her eyes?”

“I will.  She is as much my sister as she is your daughter.  Yes, I saw it.  I’ve seen it before.  I loved Rumple once upon a time, remember?  I will always love her.  I will always be there for her.  I will never give up on her,” Belle swore.

“Good.”

“She’s going to run, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“What about Will?”

“Hopefully she can stop her,” Regina replied.

“And, if she can’t?”

“Then, we will just have to find Coraline and bring her home again.  We’ve lost her once to this Darkness.  I will not lose her again.  I will never stop fighting for her,” Regina declared.

“Neither will I,” Belle vowed.

 

In Coraline’s rooms, Will burst through the door.  She saw a small bag packed and a hand full of beans.  She knew what it meant.  Coraline was running.

“You’re leaving?” Will asked as soon as her blue eyes found Coraline’s redden dark eyes.

“I have to.”

“Why?”

“I killed him in cold blood.  They are scared of me.  I frighten my own family.”

“You don’t frighten me.”

“I should.”

“How can you?”

“What are you talking about?” Coraline asked.

She hadn’t noticed that Will had been stalking her through the rooms.  She hadn’t stopped packing to see what the Vulcannonian was doing.  She didn’t notice that she was upon her until it was too late and Will held her in her arms.

“I am not letting you go that easily,” Will told her.

“Mom released you?”

“She did.”

“Will…”

“No, Coraline, I remember everything now.  As soon as she released me, I remembered.  I am not going to mourn you again.  I am not going to let you go without a fight,” Will told her.

“Will…”

Without any preamble, Will kissed her.  She could feel the magic flowing between them.  She felt the sudden connection and burst of True Love fill her entire being.  She knew what she had been missing for years.  She understood her heartbreak in the clearing after knowing that Coraline had tumbled with the golden eyed man-wolf. 

“I am not letting you go, again,” Will replied forcefully.

“You have to,” Coraline whispered through tears.

“Why?”

“Because I can’t control myself.”

“I’ll help you.  We all will.  I am not giving up.  I will follow you to Hell and back.  I’ll burn for you.  Surely you have to understand that.  Tell me that you don’t love me.  Tell me that!”

Coraline reached down to the bed.  She gathered her bag and the beans.  She turned to look at Will and hoped that she had enough strength to do what needed to be done.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, you don’t get to make this decision alone,” Will demanded.

“You need to move on,” Coraline told her.

“I love you!”

“You can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because I am the Dark One!”

“I don’t care!” Will yelled back at her.

“You should.”

Will leaned forward to capture her hands.  She wanted to make her stay.  She wanted to kiss her until she agreed to do it.

“Coraline, please…” she pleaded.

“Will…I can’t.  I am sorry…” she stated as a burst of energy flowed through her hands, pushing Will away from her and across the room.

The tears in her eyes flowed freely.  She threw a bean at the wall and watched as the portal opened.  She blocked Will from coming after her with magic and jumped into the portal.  She could hear Will’s screams as she fell through.  She let her mind go as she tumbled.

Noises filled her ears.  The smells of an industrious city surround her.  She heard voices and then a cry for help.  She stood up.  She looked around at the concrete and asphalt wondering where on Earth she landed.  She stumbled down the alley way until she found the person calling for help.

“Get off her,” she called at the looming figure in front of her.

“What’s it to you?”

“She’s with me,” Coraline lied.

The small brunette turned to look at her.  She knew that she must be a sight in her tabard and sword shirt.  The black leather pants weren’t out of place though.  She could see the pleading look in her eyes.  Coraline rose to her full height and puffed up, ready for a fight with the goon that had the woman pushed against the concrete brick wall.

“Funny, I thought she wanted to play with me,” he hissed at Coraline.

“Well, as you can see, she doesn’t.”

“Too bad.  I’ve got something nice and big for her.  We could both do her,” he suggested.

Coraline saw red.  She grabbed the man by his throat, pulling him away from the petite woman.  She threw him against the other wall of the alley.  She turned around to look into the woman’s scared brown eyes, but she didn’t have time to assess the situation before she was clocked with a piece of pipe or 2 x 4.  She wasn’t sure what it was.  She just knew that it hurt like Hell.

“Run,” she told the woman as she turned around with a feral smile at the man.

She heard the smaller woman run to the end of the alley as she began to beat the man.  She didn’t hold back.  She pummeled him.  She wanted him to think twice before he tried to hurt another woman in this city.  She also didn’t care if he died.  When he fell to the ground, she tried to right herself and brush the debris of the alley off her.

She stumbled a bit, but managed to make her way to end of the alleyway where she’d seen the other run.  She looked around.  It was a big city and one she hadn’t been in before.  She sighed.  Damn, her side hurt.  And, then it hit her.  _Fuck!_   She was in a land with no magic.  Pain was going to be her new friend again.

“Are you okay?” the woman asked as she started to make her way down the sidewalk.

“I thought I told you to run.”

“I called the cops.”

“Great.”

“You need a hospital.”

“No.  No, hospital.”

“Why not?”

“They ask too many questions.”

“Thank you by the way.  My name’s Rachel.”

“That’s nice.”

“What’s your name?”

“Coraline.”

“Well, Coraline, you can come home with me for now.  We’ll sort out what to do with you in the morning.  Can you walk?  I live just up the street.”

“What city is this?” Coraline asked while nodding and heading with the small woman whom she was leaning on now due to the pain.

“New York.”

“So, this is New York.”

“Home sweet home, yeah,” Rachel said enthusiastically.

“It is now.”


End file.
